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The differences between pet sitters and pet care associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a pet sitter and a pet care associate. Additionally, a pet care associate has an average salary of $35,635, which is higher than the $25,823 average annual salary of a pet sitter.
The top three skills for a pet sitter include PET, walkers and clients homes. The most important skills for a pet care associate are PET, customer service, and sales floor.
| Pet Sitter | Pet Care Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $25,823 | $35,635 |
| Hourly rate | $12.41 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 21,735 | 84,256 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
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.
Pet care associates, though holding a small position, will find its scope much larger than one would initially expect. This position requires an individual with gentleness, patience, confidence, carefulness, diligence, and a hard-working attitude. Paying out at around $33K per year, those who choose this career will be required to help customers with questions and issues related to small mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds.
Pet sitters and pet care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pet Sitter | Pet Care Associate | |
| Average salary | $25,823 | $35,635 |
| Salary range | Between $10,000 And $62,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newport, RI | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Oregon |
| Best paying company | CARE | Purr'n Pooch |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Retail |
There are a few differences between a pet sitter and a pet care associate in terms of educational background:
| Pet Sitter | Pet Care Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between pet sitters' and pet care associates' demographics:
| Pet Sitter | Pet Care Associate | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.6% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |