Animal Caretaker Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of animal caretakers to grow 12.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 44,100 more jobs), with about 62,800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $35,360 a year ranks 801st of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +12.1%
- Openings a year
- 62,800
- Median pay
- $35,360
- Pay rank
- 801st of 825
Is employment of animal caretakers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of animal caretakers to rise 12.1% (about 44,100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +4.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 personal care and service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 42nd of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 365,300 |
| Employment, 2035 | 409,400 |
| Projected change | +12.1% |
| Openings a year | 62,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 365,300 jobs here differ from the 266,910 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 62,800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 66th most of 830 occupations. About 93% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 4,410 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for animal caretakers rank?
The median of $35,360 a year ranks 801st of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Trainers | +4.2% | 6,500 | $39,990 |
| Childcare Workers | -2.0% | 150,300 | $34,980 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | +6.3% | 12,000 | $48,590 |
| Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants | +6.4% | 4,000 | $36,300 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | +9.1% | 23,200 | $38,150 |
| Animal Breeders | +3.0% | 1,000 | $51,130 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | +9.4% | 13,400 | $47,380 |
| Animal Control Workers | +4.0% | 1,500 | $45,660 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.