Animal Caretakers in the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro

BLS metro-level wage data places Animal Caretakers pay in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN at a median of $30,830 per year ($14.82/hr), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared with the national median of $35,360, the metro estimate is 13% below. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. Approximately 1,640 animal caretakers are employed across the Louisville/Jefferson County MSA in SOC 39-2021.

The Louisville/Jefferson County pay distribution spans from $22,470 at the 10th percentile to $46,020 at the 90th, a 2.0× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $28,300 and the 75th at $39,060, so half of Louisville/Jefferson County-based animal caretakers earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide KY estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.