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Pet caretaker education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pet caretaker. Pet caretakers usually study biology, psychology, or business. 52% of pet caretakers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 386 real pet caretaker resumes to see exactly what pet caretaker education sections show.
The most common colleges for pet caretakers are the West Chester University of Pennsylvania and the West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
There are also many online pet caretaker courses to help get the education required to be a pet caretaker.
What education do you need to become a pet caretaker?
What degree do you need to be a pet caretaker?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a pet caretaker?
- Biology, 14%
- Psychology, 11%
- Business, 8%
- General Studies, 7%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for pet caretakers
| Pet caretaker common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 11.76% |
| Kent State University | 8.82% |
| Western Carolina University | 5.88% |
| North Carolina State University | 5.88% |
| Northern Arizona University | 5.88% |
Best majors for pet caretakers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 13.9% |
| 2 | Psychology | 11.5% |
| 3 | Business | 8.2% |
| 4 | General Studies | 7.4% |
| 5 | Animal Science | 6.6% |
Best colleges for pet caretakers
The best colleges for pet caretakers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A pet caretaker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pet caretakers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become pet caretakers.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,588
Enrollment
1,544
9. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
20 best online courses for pet caretakers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pet caretakers
The most affordable schools for pet caretakers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for pet caretakers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for pet caretakers.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pet caretakers
The hardest universities for pet caretakers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for pet caretakers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for pet caretakers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pet caretakers
The easiest schools for pet caretakers to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and bluefield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pet caretaker without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for pet caretakers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average pet caretaker salary by education level
| Pet caretaker education level | Pet caretaker salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,338 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,110 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,268 |
Pet caretaker education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025