Zoo keeper vs animal caregiver

The differences between zoo keepers and animal caregivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a zoo keeper and an animal caregiver. Additionally, a zoo keeper has an average salary of $33,617, which is higher than the $27,665 average annual salary of an animal caregiver.

The top three skills for a zoo keeper include animal husbandry, animal exhibits and AZA. The most important skills for an animal caregiver are pigs, PET, and animal handling.

Zoo keeper vs animal caregiver overview

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Caregiver
Yearly salary	$33,617	$27,665
Hourly rate	$16.16	$13.30
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	4,468	57,251
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Zoo keeper vs animal caregiver salary

Zoo keepers and animal caregivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Caregiver
Average salary	$33,617	$27,665
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $49,000	Between $20,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between zoo keeper and animal caregiver education

There are a few differences between a zoo keeper and an animal caregiver in terms of educational background:

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Caregiver
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Cornell University	Stanford University

Zoo keeper vs animal caregiver demographics

Here are the differences between zoo keepers' and animal caregivers' demographics:

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Caregiver
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%	Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 2.6% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between zoo keeper and animal caregiver duties and responsibilities

Zoo keeper example responsibilities.

Manage complicated water filtration systems, and implement nutrition plans for a variety of snake species.
Assist in producing illustrations and animation material to develop tutoring videos for math and physics.
Provide environmental enrichment for various mammal and raptor species.

Animal caregiver example responsibilities.

Assist in managing shelter for animals and arranging for adoption or euthanasia of confiscate animals.
Educate pet owners about illnesses, medications, and general care, and answer their questions and concerns.
Walk all dogs, and occasionally strange animals such as pigs.
Create neighborhood service providing in-home pet care including; leash walks, off leash socials, and cat care.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Provide routine grooming including brushing and clipping claws.

Zoo keeper vs animal caregiver skills

Common zoo keeper skills

Animal Husbandry, 17%
Animal Exhibits, 16%
AZA, 12%
USDA, 4%
Hoof, 4%
Animal Food, 4%

Common animal caregiver skills

Pigs, 51%
PET, 19%
Animal Handling, 5%
Animal Shelter, 3%
General Care, 3%
Facility Laundry, 2%