BLS metro-level wage data places Animal Caretakers pay in Paducah, KY-IL at a median of $31,200 per year ($15.00/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $35,360, Paducah pays 12% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 60 animal caretakerss are employed across the Paducah MSA in SOC 39-2021.

The Paducah pay distribution spans from $21,850 at the 10th percentile to $50,060 at the 90th — a 2.3× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $28,840 and the 75th at $38,410, so half of Paducah-based animal caretakerss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Paducah, KY-IL covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide KY data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.