Animal Caretakers
Animal caretakers feed, water, groom, bathe, and exercise animals to maintain their health and well-being. They work with pets, zoo animals, race horses, birds, fish, and other non-food animals in kennels, shelters, zoos, circuses, and similar facilities. The work is hands-on and involves direct animal care daily.
Four short assessments and your background, scored against animal caretakers and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
A day in the work
A typical week involves multiple feeding and watering schedules, cleaning animal enclosures and cages, and monitoring animals for signs of illness or injury. Caretakers may groom or bathe animals, exercise dogs or horses, and record observations about animal behavior and health. Tasks vary by setting—zoo workers might prepare specialized diets for exotic animals, while shelter staff handle intake procedures and animal socialization.
Who this work suits
Holland code RSC. Realistic work is hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. Aptly’s interest assessment scores you on the same six scales.
You enjoy working directly with animals and have practical, hands-on skills. You do well in this work if you're attentive to detail, physically capable, and genuinely interested in animal welfare and the social aspects of helping both animals and the people who care about them.
What it takes
Preparation: Some preparation (usually high school; some on-the-job training). Most people in this occupation hold a high school diploma.
Skills that matter most
Knowledge areas
Who is hiring
Openings right now
- Animal Caretaker · Veterans Health Administration · East Orange, New Jersey · $25.22–$29.44
- Animal Caretaker NA-03 · United States Army Installation Management Command · Fort Bragg, North Carolina · $19.17–$22.37
- Animal Caretaker Leader NL-05 · United States Army Installation Management Command · Fort Belvoir, Virginia · $22.6–$26.37
- Animal Caretaker (MVO) (Seasonal) · National Park Service · Marblemount, Washington · $33.36–$38.92
- Animal Packer and Caretaker (Trails) (Seasonal) · National Park Service · Multiple Locations · $22.36–$26.07
- Animal Caretaker (Packer) (Seasonal) · National Park Service · Port Angeles, Washington · $31.56–$36.82
- Animal Caretaker (Farrier) (Seasonal) · National Park Service · Yosemite National Park, California · $25.42–$29.66
- Animal Caretaker (Packer) (Seasonal) · National Park Service · Yosemite National Park, California · $23.89–$27.87
Openings are read from employers’ own career pages and public job boards and change daily. Search all openings (free account) to filter by distance, pay and how well you qualify.
Pay by state
| State | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $38,290 | $44,210 | $47,730 | 460 |
| Washington | $37,140 | $40,570 | $48,030 | 6,620 |
| Hawaii | $32,910 | $40,130 | $51,810 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $36,820 | $39,650 | $47,750 | 6,900 |
| California | $36,810 | $38,700 | $45,160 | 25,710 |
| Arizona | $35,890 | $38,180 | $47,080 | 6,330 |
| New York | $35,640 | $37,840 | $43,780 | 12,470 |
| Colorado | $35,670 | $37,430 | $43,850 | 6,290 |
| Connecticut | $35,860 | $37,310 | $45,980 | 3,000 |
| Maine | $35,250 | $37,230 | $44,000 | 1,430 |
| Rhode Island | $34,860 | $37,120 | $43,930 | 1,020 |
| Maryland | $34,450 | $36,780 | $46,790 | 5,570 |
All 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Certifications people in this field hold
- Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR) — American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
- Board Certified in Animal Food Science — American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists
Training
Aptly members see WIOA-approved programs, colleges and certificates near them, with completion and earnings data, on every Path plan.
Job titles in this occupation
Related occupations
Four short assessments and your background, scored against animal caretakers and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
O*NET-SOC 39-2021.00 · O*NET OnLine. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, annual, U.S. Employment counts are national.