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The differences between companions and pet sitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a companion has an average salary of $29,246, which is higher than the $25,823 average annual salary of a pet sitter.
The top three skills for a companion include companionship, patients and home health. The most important skills for a pet sitter are PET, walkers, and clients homes.
| Companion | Pet Sitter | |
| Yearly salary | $29,246 | $25,823 |
| Hourly rate | $14.06 | $12.41 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 75,753 | 21,735 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 28% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 48 | 32 |
| Years of experience | - | 3 |
A companion is responsible for assisting sick and recovered patients, as well as the elderly. Companions perform housekeeping duties, ensuring that a facility is well-maintained and safe for the use of the patients. They also monitor the patients' medication, prepare their meals based on a medical professional's prescription, support them on their daily activities, respond to the patients' needs and special requests as allowed, and report any developments to their family or guardians. A companion must be compassionate enough to extend physical and emotional support, depending on the client's condition.
A pet sitter is responsible for taking care of household pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters perform services for pet maintenance, including taking them to the veterinarian, monitoring their food, walk them in the park, and administer medications, if any. They also reach out to the pet owners for possible updates and emergencies, taking their instructions immediately. Apart from being highly communicative and organizational, a pet sitter should have an interest and passion in taking care of pets to ensure high-quality services.
Companions and pet sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Companion | Pet Sitter | |
| Average salary | $29,246 | $25,823 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $38,000 | Between $10,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Newport, RI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Merck | CARE |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a companion and a pet sitter in terms of educational background:
| Companion | Pet Sitter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 28% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Here are the differences between companions' and pet sitters' demographics:
| Companion | Pet Sitter | |
| Average age | 48 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9% | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |