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Animal care specialist salary
Average animal care specialist salary
$59,197
Understanding the Animal Care Specialist Salary
The average salary for an Animal Care Specialist in the United States is approximately $59,197 annually, translating to about $28 per hour. Salaries in this profession can vary significantly based on location, experience, and specific job responsibilities. For instance, specialists working in metropolitan areas often earn higher wages due to increased demand and cost of living.
Salary by State
States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts typically offer some of the highest salaries for Animal Care Specialists. For example, in California, the average salary can reach up to $64,000, reflecting the state's higher living expenses and demand for animal care services. In contrast, states with lower living costs may offer salaries closer to the national average.
Career Opportunities
Animal Care Specialists find diverse job opportunities in various settings, including pet shelters, zoos, aquariums, and veterinary offices. Gaining additional certifications or specializing in areas such as wildlife rehabilitation can further increase earning potential. By exploring these avenues, candidates can enhance their careers and make a significant impact in the field of animal welfare.
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Where can an Animal Care Specialist earn more?
Animal care specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average animal care specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for animal care specialists are Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The lowest average animal care specialist salary states are Wyoming, Hawaii, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for animal care specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $83,247 | $40.02 |
| 2 | Maine | $79,224 | $38.09 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $83,672 | $40.23 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $75,196 | $36.15 |
| 5 | Vermont | $77,718 | $37.36 |
| 6 | Delaware | $79,704 | $38.32 |
| 7 | Ohio | $77,010 | $37.02 |
| 8 | Maryland | $94,173 | $45.28 |
| 9 | Michigan | $72,155 | $34.69 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $81,214 | $39.05 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $80,978 | $38.93 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $75,231 | $36.17 |
| 13 | Iowa | $70,919 | $34.10 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $75,217 | $36.16 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $74,356 | $35.75 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $67,276 | $32.34 |
| 17 | Illinois | $73,156 | $35.17 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $79,533 | $38.24 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $67,990 | $32.69 |
| 20 | Virginia | $76,364 | $36.71 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $80,834 | $38.86 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $69,123 | $33.23 |
| 23 | Indiana | $73,841 | $35.50 |
| 24 | Montana | $62,785 | $30.19 |
| 25 | Arizona | $61,720 | $29.67 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $77,106 | $37.07 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $68,880 | $33.12 |
| 28 | Nevada | $60,722 | $29.19 |
| 29 | Missouri | $57,413 | $27.60 |
| 30 | Alaska | $58,606 | $28.18 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $63,705 | $30.63 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $65,037 | $31.27 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $61,616 | $29.62 |
| 34 | California | $63,963 | $30.75 |
| 35 | Georgia | $60,102 | $28.90 |
| 36 | Oregon | $59,157 | $28.44 |
| 37 | Alabama | $58,397 | $28.08 |
| 38 | Utah | $59,651 | $28.68 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $51,464 | $24.74 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $48,043 | $23.10 |
| 41 | Texas | $59,590 | $28.65 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $49,825 | $23.95 |
| 43 | Washington | $56,700 | $27.26 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $51,247 | $24.64 |
| 45 | Colorado | $52,677 | $25.33 |
| 46 | Kansas | $52,624 | $25.30 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,697 | $24.85 |
| 48 | Idaho | $52,647 | $25.31 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $39,372 | $18.93 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $42,244 | $20.31 |
| 51 | Florida | $52,566 | $25.27 |
Highest paying cities for animal care specialists
The highest-paying cities for animal care specialists are Baltimore, MD, New York, NY, and Philadelphia, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $109,028 | $52.42 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $92,662 | $44.55 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,858 | $42.72 |
| 4 | Worcester, MA | $88,314 | $42.46 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $83,836 | $40.31 |
| 6 | Rochester, MN | $77,765 | $37.39 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $76,282 | $36.67 |
| 8 | Winston-Salem, NC | $72,262 | $34.74 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $68,516 | $32.94 |
| 10 | Vallejo, CA | $67,900 | $32.64 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,550 | $29.59 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,853 | $29.26 |
| 13 | Midland, TX | $60,224 | $28.95 |
| 14 | Birmingham, AL | $58,816 | $28.28 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $57,878 | $27.83 |
| 16 | Clermont, FL | $53,340 | $25.64 |
| 17 | Aurora, CO | $52,194 | $25.09 |
Animal care specialist salary details
An animal care specialist's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $155,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an animal care specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $155,000 | $12,917 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| Average | $59,197 | $4,933 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying animal care specialist jobs
The highest paying types of animal care specialists are animal doctor, doctor of veterinary medicine, and veterinarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Of Veterinary Medicine | $136,242 | $11,354 | $65.50 | 27,902 |
| Emergency Veterinarian | $94,518 | $7,877 | $45.44 | 34,931 |
| Veterinarian | $109,524 | $9,127 | $52.66 | 13,255 |
| Public Health Veterinarian | $62,550 | $5,212 | $30.07 | 63,067 |
Top companies hiring animal care specialists now:
Which companies pay animal care specialists the most?
Animal care specialist salaries at SPCA of Wake County and Providence Health & Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average animal care specialist salary at companies like Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and Asante are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPCA of Wake County | $336,831 | $161.94 |
| 2 | Providence Health & Services | $296,550 | $142.57 |
| 3 | Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital | $289,409 | $139.14 |
| 4 | Asante | $288,395 | $138.65 |
| 5 | UnityPoint Health | $275,061 | $132.24 |
| 6 | Medical City Arlington | $251,350 | $120.84 |
| 7 | Novant Health | $240,249 | $115.50 |
| 8 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $214,151 | $102.96 |
| 9 | TidalHealth | $212,547 | $102.19 |
| 10 | UTMB HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS | $189,993 | $91.34 |
| 11 | UNC Health Care | $189,341 | $91.03 |
| 12 | Mayo Clinic | $158,351 | $76.13 |
| 13 | Covance | $144,628 | $69.53 |
| 14 | Ochsner Health | $138,535 | $66.60 |
| 15 | Greif | $125,409 | $60.29 |
| 16 | Neuralink IT Solutions | $125,068 | $60.13 |
| 17 | Baylor College of Medicine | $117,874 | $56.67 |
| 18 | Charles River Labs | $100,375 | $48.26 |
| 19 | Pfizer | $98,854 | $47.53 |
| 20 | Lincoln Holdings LLC | $97,547 | $46.90 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Animal care specialist salary trends
The average animal care specialist salary has risen by $9,752 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average animal care specialist earned $49,445 annually, but today, they earn $59,197 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for animal care specialists over the last decade.
Compare animal care specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average animal care specialist salary over time
Compare animal care specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Animal care specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,200 | $28.46 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $56,900 | $27.37 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $56,000 | $26.91 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $53,900 | $25.93 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $52,900 | $25.45 | +0.3% |
Recently added animal care specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerstone | Care Specialist | Anderson, IN | 06/30/2025 | $32,870 |
| Petco Animal Supplies Inc. | Animal Care Specialist | Coralville, IA | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Petco Holdings | Animal Care Specialist | Slidell, LA | 06/28/2025 | $27,131 |
| Petco Holdings | Animal Care Specialist | Liberty, MO | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Petco Animal Supplies Inc. | Animal Care Specialist | Manchester, CT | 06/28/2025 | $36,209 |
| Petco Animal Supplies Inc. | Animal Care Specialist | East Windsor, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $34,415 |
| Petco Animal Supplies Inc. | Animal Care Specialist | Newark, DE | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Petco Holdings | Animal Care Specialist | Romeoville, IL | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
| Petco Holdings | Animal Care Specialist | Chattanooga, TN | 06/27/2025 | $27,131 |
| Petco Holdings | Animal Care Specialist | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
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