Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Animal care technician salary
Average animal care technician salary
$14.24
Average Animal Care Technician Salary
The average salary for an Animal Care Technician in the United States is approximately $29,617 per year or $14 per hour. This can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific field within animal care. For instance, those working in veterinary clinics may earn more than those in shelters.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level technicians typically earn less, around $25,000, while those with several years of experience can make upwards of $35,000. As professionals advance, they may take on specialized roles, further impacting their earnings.
Geographical Differences
Salary variations are considerable across different states and cities. For example, Animal Care Technicians in urban areas often earn higher wages than their rural counterparts. States such as California and New York are among the highest-paying, driven by a greater demand for animal care services.
Job Outlook
The demand for Animal Care Technicians is expected to grow as pet ownership increases. This trend presents a promising outlook for individuals entering this field, emphasizing the need for ongoing training and certifications to enhance job prospects.
Let Zippia find your next animal care technician job
Let Zippia find your next animal care technician job
Where can an Animal Care Technician earn more?
Animal care technician salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level animal care technician | $25,200 | $12.10 |
| Mid-level animal care technician | $28,800 | $13.82 |
| Senior-level animal care technician | $32,500 | $15.61 |
Average animal care technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for animal care technicians are Oregon, North Dakota, and Idaho. The lowest average animal care technician salary states are Louisiana, Alabama, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for animal care technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $35,040 | $16.85 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $35,403 | $17.02 |
| 3 | Oregon | $39,811 | $19.14 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $36,501 | $17.55 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $34,441 | $16.56 |
| 6 | Kentucky | $33,981 | $16.34 |
| 7 | Idaho | $36,255 | $17.43 |
| 8 | Iowa | $30,524 | $14.68 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $33,435 | $16.07 |
| 10 | Washington | $36,107 | $17.36 |
| 11 | Delaware | $32,694 | $15.72 |
| 12 | Vermont | $32,226 | $15.49 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $31,477 | $15.13 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $33,555 | $16.13 |
| 15 | Nevada | $30,344 | $14.59 |
| 16 | Illinois | $30,706 | $14.76 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $31,610 | $15.20 |
| 18 | Alaska | $33,847 | $16.27 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $30,609 | $14.72 |
| 20 | Arizona | $29,231 | $14.05 |
| 21 | California | $35,610 | $17.12 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $29,642 | $14.25 |
| 23 | Michigan | $28,667 | $13.78 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $33,716 | $16.21 |
| 25 | Colorado | $31,325 | $15.06 |
| 26 | Utah | $30,986 | $14.90 |
| 27 | Missouri | $28,292 | $13.60 |
| 28 | Montana | $28,936 | $13.91 |
| 29 | New York | $33,022 | $15.88 |
| 30 | Indiana | $29,060 | $13.97 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $29,504 | $14.18 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $25,194 | $12.11 |
| 33 | Kansas | $28,074 | $13.50 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $25,094 | $12.06 |
| 35 | Ohio | $25,381 | $12.20 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $26,908 | $12.94 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $29,252 | $14.06 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $30,335 | $14.58 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $28,930 | $13.91 |
| 40 | Maryland | $27,655 | $13.30 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $22,682 | $10.90 |
| 42 | Virginia | $25,157 | $12.09 |
| 43 | Alabama | $22,908 | $11.01 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $21,334 | $10.26 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $23,008 | $11.06 |
| 46 | Florida | $24,824 | $11.93 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $24,605 | $11.83 |
| 48 | Georgia | $20,924 | $10.06 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $24,287 | $11.68 |
| 50 | Texas | $23,482 | $11.29 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $21,476 | $10.32 |
Highest paying cities for animal care technicians
The highest-paying cities for animal care technicians are South San Francisco, CA, Coon Rapids, MN, and Rochester, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South San Francisco, CA | $37,743 | $18.15 |
| 2 | Coon Rapids, MN | $34,530 | $16.60 |
| 3 | Rochester, NY | $33,813 | $16.26 |
| 4 | Springfield, MA | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 5 | Reno, NV | $32,182 | $15.47 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $31,790 | $15.28 |
| 7 | Sioux Falls, SD | $31,447 | $15.12 |
| 8 | Mason City, IA | $31,266 | $15.03 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $31,243 | $15.02 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $30,846 | $14.83 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $29,635 | $14.25 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $29,289 | $14.08 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $28,793 | $13.84 |
| 14 | Overland Park, KS | $28,557 | $13.73 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $27,772 | $13.35 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $25,513 | $12.27 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $24,972 | $12.01 |
| 18 | Farmington, NM | $23,468 | $11.28 |
| 19 | Houston, TX | $23,257 | $11.18 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $21,472 | $10.32 |
Animal care technician salary details
An animal care technician's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $40,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an animal care technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $29,617 | $2,468 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
Highest paying animal care technician jobs
The highest paying types of animal care technicians are veterinary technician, technician, and pet care associate.
| 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 |
| Bather | $31,051 | $2,588 | $14.93 | 56,255 |
| Dog Walker/Pet Sitter | $30,871 | $2,573 | $14.84 | 70,256 |
| Dog Walker | $30,893 | $2,574 | $14.85 | 5,474 |
Top companies hiring animal care technicians now:
Which companies pay animal care technicians the most?
Animal care technician salaries at Emory University and Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average animal care technician salary at companies like Saint Xavier University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory University | $45,519 | $21.88 |
| 2 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $43,507 | $20.92 |
| 3 | Saint Xavier University | $40,700 | $19.57 |
| 4 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $40,672 | $19.55 |
| 5 | Cargill | $40,379 | $19.41 |
| 6 | The McConnell Group | $40,099 | $19.28 |
| 7 | Massachusetts Eye and Ear | $39,917 | $19.19 |
| 8 | Pfizer | $38,799 | $18.65 |
| 9 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $38,608 | $18.56 |
| 10 | Precigen | $38,531 | $18.52 |
| 11 | King County | $38,375 | $18.45 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin System | $38,149 | $18.34 |
| 13 | Calvary Hospital | $37,743 | $18.15 |
| 14 | Merck | $37,357 | $17.96 |
| 15 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $37,164 | $17.87 |
| 16 | Mayo Clinic | $36,883 | $17.73 |
| 17 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $36,867 | $17.72 |
| 18 | Cottage Health | $36,674 | $17.63 |
| 19 | St. Charles Health System | $36,528 | $17.56 |
| 20 | McLean Hospital | $35,722 | $17.17 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Animal Care Technician salary by industry
The average animal care technician salary varies across industries:
- The average animal care technician salary in the health care industry is $32,797, the highest of any industry.
- The average animal care technician salary in the finance industry is $32,418.
- Animal care technicians in the government industry earn an average salary of $30,755, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for animal care technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $32,797 | $15.77 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $32,418 | $15.59 |
| 3 | Education | $32,008 | $15.39 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $31,766 | $15.27 |
| 5 | Pharmaceutical | $31,508 | $15.15 |
| 6 | Agriculture | $30,760 | $14.79 |
| 7 | Government | $30,755 | $14.79 |
High paying animal care technician jobs
Animal care technician salary trends
The average animal care technician salary has risen by $7,461 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average animal care technician earned $22,156 annually, but today, they earn $29,617 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for animal care technicians over the last decade.
Compare animal care technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average animal care technician salary over time
Compare animal care technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Animal care technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $29,600 | $14.24 | +5.0% |
| 2025 | $28,100 | $13.53 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $27,000 | $12.97 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $26,100 | $12.53 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $25,000 | $12.01 | +4.5% |
Recently added animal care technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County of Monterey | Animal Care Technician I | Salinas, CA | 06/30/2025 | $44,328 |
| University of Wisconsin Madison | Animal Care Technician II | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $39,131 |
| WSU | Animal Care Technician | Pullman, WA | 06/30/2025 | $35,532 |
| Best Friends Animal Society | Animal Care (Kitten Nursery) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Dupage Medical Group | Urgent Care Technician-Cardiology | Lisle, IL | 06/28/2025 | $42,971 |
| Bernco | Animal Care Technician | Albuquerque, NM | 06/28/2025 | $31,660 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Animal Care Technician I | Reno, NV | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Animal Care Services, Technician I | Spencerville, OH | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| University of Utah | Animal Care Tech I | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| Actalent | Animal Care Technician | Baltimore, MD | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
Animal care technician salary FAQs
Search for animal care technician jobs