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The differences between wild animal caretakers and animal shelter workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a wild animal caretaker and an animal shelter worker. Additionally, an animal shelter worker has an average salary of $33,011, which is higher than the $27,846 average annual salary of a wild animal caretaker.
The top three skills for a wild animal caretaker include animal handling, facility laundry and general care. The most important skills for an animal shelter worker are crisis intervention, mental health, and direct care.
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Animal Shelter Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $27,846 | $33,011 |
| Hourly rate | $13.39 | $15.87 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 11,735 | 72,185 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
Wild animal caretakers and animal shelter workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Animal Shelter Worker | |
| Average salary | $27,846 | $33,011 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $37,000 | Between $22,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a wild animal caretaker and an animal shelter worker in terms of educational background:
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Animal Shelter Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | New York University | Texas A&M University - Commerce |
Here are the differences between wild animal caretakers' and animal shelter workers' demographics:
| Wild Animal Caretaker | Animal Shelter Worker | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8% | Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |