Zoo keeper vs animal shelter worker

The differences between zoo keepers 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 zoo keeper and an animal shelter worker. Additionally, a zoo keeper has an average salary of $33,617, which is higher than the $33,011 average annual salary of an animal shelter worker.

The top three skills for a zoo keeper include animal husbandry, animal exhibits and AZA. The most important skills for an animal shelter worker are crisis intervention, mental health, and direct care.

Zoo keeper vs animal shelter worker overview

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Shelter Worker
Yearly salary	$33,617	$33,011
Hourly rate	$16.16	$15.87
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	4,468	72,185
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	32	32
Years of experience	3	3

Zoo keeper vs animal shelter worker salary

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

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Shelter Worker
Average salary	$33,617	$33,011
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $49,000	Between $22,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between zoo keeper and animal shelter worker education

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

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Shelter Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Biology	Psychology
Most common college	Cornell University	Texas A&M University - Commerce

Zoo keeper vs animal shelter worker demographics

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

	Zoo Keeper	Animal Shelter Worker
Average age	32	32
Gender ratio	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%	Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3%
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, 4.3% 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%

Differences between zoo keeper and animal shelter worker 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 shelter worker example responsibilities.

Assist in managing shelter for animals and arranging for adoption or euthanasia of confiscate animals.
Maintain an aquatic system of zebrafish and rotifers.
Assist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in providing the best care possible for patients.
Milk animals such as cows and goats, by hand or using milking machines.

Zoo keeper vs animal shelter worker skills

Common zoo keeper skills

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

Common animal shelter worker skills

Crisis Intervention, 15%
Mental Health, 14%
Direct Care, 11%
Emergency Shelter, 10%
Client Intake, 10%
Community Resources, 9%