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Aquarist salary
Average aquarist salary
$15.68
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Average aquarist salary by state
Highest paying states for aquarists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $40,137 | $19.30 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $33,701 | $16.20 |
| 3 | Idaho | $32,646 | $15.70 |
| 4 | California | $36,730 | $17.66 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $35,807 | $17.21 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $34,309 | $16.49 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $36,271 | $17.44 |
| 8 | Arizona | $34,901 | $16.78 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $29,912 | $14.38 |
| 10 | Maine | $34,992 | $16.82 |
| 11 | Alaska | $33,051 | $15.89 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $33,721 | $16.21 |
| 13 | Nevada | $32,639 | $15.69 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $32,622 | $15.68 |
| 15 | Delaware | $33,494 | $16.10 |
| 16 | Iowa | $29,466 | $14.17 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $32,265 | $15.51 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $29,116 | $14.00 |
| 19 | Oregon | $32,065 | $15.42 |
| 20 | Illinois | $30,766 | $14.79 |
| 21 | Vermont | $32,250 | $15.50 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $29,163 | $14.02 |
| 23 | Colorado | $30,213 | $14.53 |
| 24 | Washington | $32,839 | $15.79 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $30,101 | $14.47 |
| 26 | Indiana | $28,581 | $13.74 |
| 27 | New York | $32,511 | $15.63 |
| 28 | Georgia | $29,812 | $14.33 |
| 29 | Florida | $29,099 | $13.99 |
| 30 | Maryland | $30,142 | $14.49 |
| 31 | Texas | $29,365 | $14.12 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $29,185 | $14.03 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $28,806 | $13.85 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $29,260 | $14.07 |
| 35 | Michigan | $28,197 | $13.56 |
| 36 | Kansas | $28,431 | $13.67 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $26,918 | $12.94 |
| 38 | Utah | $29,203 | $14.04 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $27,257 | $13.10 |
| 40 | Missouri | $28,428 | $13.67 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $27,756 | $13.34 |
| 42 | New Jersey | $28,465 | $13.69 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $25,354 | $12.19 |
| 44 | Alabama | $26,514 | $12.75 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $25,870 | $12.44 |
| 46 | Montana | $26,538 | $12.76 |
| 47 | Virginia | $26,225 | $12.61 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $24,329 | $11.70 |
| 49 | Ohio | $23,171 | $11.14 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $24,727 | $11.89 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $23,752 | $11.42 |
Aquarist salary details
An aquarist's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $48,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an aquarist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $32,605 | $2,717 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying aquarist jobs
The highest paying types of aquarists are pet care associate, animal shelter worker, and pet groomer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet Groomer | $32,139 | $2,678 | $15.45 | 63,641 |
| Pet Sitter | $25,823 | $2,152 | $12.41 | 21,735 |
| Dog Sitter | $25,532 | $2,128 | $12.27 | 67,682 |
| Dog Walker | $30,893 | $2,574 | $14.85 | 5,474 |
| Kennel Attendant | $26,373 | $2,198 | $12.68 | 72,239 |
| Animal Attendant | $26,394 | $2,199 | $12.69 | 53,000 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Aquarist salary trends
The average aquarist salary has risen by $8,214 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average aquarist earned $24,391 annually, but today, they earn $32,605 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for aquarists over the last decade.
Compare aquarist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average aquarist salary over time
Compare aquarist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Aquarist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,600 | $15.68 | +5.0% |
| 2025 | $31,000 | $14.89 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $29,700 | $14.28 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $28,700 | $13.79 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $27,500 | $13.22 | +4.5% |
Recently added aquarist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loveland Living Planet Aquarium Jobs | Aquarist I | Draper, UT | 05/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| Aza | Aquarist, or SR) : Sustainability Team | Quincy, MA | 05/20/2025 | $47,208 |
| National Aquarium | Aquarist | Baltimore, MD | 04/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Aza | Aquarist I-III | Albuquerque, NM | 04/17/2025 | $36,543 |
| City of Albuquerque, Nm | Aquarist I-III | Albuquerque, NM | 04/15/2025 | $36,543 |
| Aza | Aquarist | Kansas City, KS | 04/13/2025 | $52,175 |
| Simon Property Group | Aquarist | Las Vegas, NV | 03/30/2025 | $44,224 |
| Aza | Aquarist | Baltimore, MD | 03/22/2025 | $39,653 |
| Aza | Aquarist | Branson, MO | 03/09/2025 | $37,566 |
| Tennessee Aquarium | Aquarist II | Chattanooga, TN | 02/24/2025 | $43,827 |
Aquarist salary FAQs
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