Animal Caretakers in the Macon-Bibb County Metro

BLS metro-level wage data places Animal Caretakers pay in Macon-Bibb County, GA at a median of $29,310 per year ($14.09/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 17% below. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. Approximately 100 animal caretakers are employed across the Macon-Bibb County MSA in SOC 39-2021.

The Macon-Bibb County pay distribution spans from $21,580 at the 10th percentile to $40,130 at the 90th, a 1.9× 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 $22,810 and the 75th at $33,860, so half of Macon-Bibb 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 Macon-Bibb County, GA 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 GA estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.