### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Animal Care and Service Workers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			animal care and service workers imageTrainers teach animals to respond to commands.							
						Quick Facts:     Animal Care and Service Workers2023     Median Pay
            						$31,830     per year
										$15.31     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    See How to Become OneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    393,100Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    16% (Much faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    61,200What Animal Care and Service Workers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Animal care and service workers attend to or train animals.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Animal care and service workers are employed in a variety of settings, including kennels, zoos, stables, animal shelters, pet stores, veterinary clinics, and aquariums. Some parts of the job may be physically or emotionally demanding, and workers risk injury when caring for animals.
            
                                                How to Become an Animal Care and Service Worker
                                                
                        
Animal care and service workers typically have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the occupation on the job. Many employers prefer to hire candidates who have experience working with animals.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for animal caretakers was $31,200 in May 2023.									                                														The median annual wage for animal trainers was $38,810 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of animal care and service workers is projected to grow							 16 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 79,900 openings for animal care and service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for animal care and service workers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of animal care and service workers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about animal care and service workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Animal Care and Service Workers Do 
            

			Animal care and service workersPet sitters care for pets while the owner is at work or on vacation.			
Animal care and service workers attend to or train animals. Working with pets and other nonfarm animals, these caretakers and trainers feed, groom, and exercise the animals or teach them to respond to human commands.
Duties
Animal care and service workers typically do the following:
Give food and water to animals
Clean equipment and the living spaces of animals
Monitor animals and record details of their diet, physical condition, and behavior
Examine animals for signs of illness or injury
Exercise animals
Bathe animals, trim nails, clip hair, and attend to other grooming needs
Train animals to obey or to behave in a specific mannerThe following are types of animal care and service workers:
***Animal trainers*** teach animals a variety of skills, such as obedience, performance, riding, security, and assisting people with disabilities. They familiarize animals with human voices and contact, and they teach animals to respond to commands. Most animal trainers work with dogs and horses, but some work with marine mammals, such as dolphins. Trainers teach a variety of skills. For example, some train dogs to guide people with disabilities, or they may train animals for a competition.
***Groomers*** specialize in maintaining a pet’s appearance. They typically groom dogs and cats, which may include cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling fur; clipping nails; and cleaning ears. Groomers also schedule appointments, sell products to pet owners, and identify problems that may require veterinary attention.
Groomers may work in or operate a grooming salon, kennel, veterinary clinic, pet supply store, or mobile grooming service, a self-contained business that travels to clients’ homes.
***Grooms*** work at stables, caring for horses and maintaining equipment. Responsibilities include feeding, grooming, and exercising horses; cleaning stalls; polishing saddles; and organizing the tack room, which stores harnesses, saddles, and bridles. Experienced grooms sometimes help train horses.
***Kennel attendants*** care for pets, often overnight, in place of owners. They clean cages and dog runs and feed, exercise, and play with animals. Experienced attendants also may provide basic healthcare, bathe animals, and attend to other basic grooming needs.
***Animal shelter attendants*** typically work with cats and dogs in animal shelters or rescue leagues. These attendants take care of the animals’ basic needs and may have administrative duties, such as keeping records, answering questions from the public, educating visitors about pet health, and screening people who want to adopt an animal. Experienced attendants may have more responsibilities, such as helping to vaccinate or euthanize animals alongside a veterinarian.
***Pet sitters*** look after animals while the pet owner is away. Most pet sitters feed, walk, and play with pets daily. They go to the pet owner’s home, allowing the pet to stay in its familiar surroundings and follow its routine. Experienced pet sitters also may bathe, groom, or train pets. Pet sitters typically watch over dogs, but some also take care of cats and other pets.
***Zookeepers*** care for animals in zoos. They plan diets, feed animals, and monitor the animals’ eating patterns. They also clean the animals’ enclosures and monitor behavior for signs of illness or injury. Depending on the size of the zoo, they may work with one species or multiple species of animals. Zookeepers may help raise young animals, and they often spend time answering questions from the public.
For information about workers who care for animals in clinics, animal hospitals, and research laboratories, see the veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers profile. For information about those who attend to farm animals, see the agricultural workers profile.
 Work Environment
			Animal care and service workersMobile groomers travel to customers' homes to wash, cut, and brush an animal's coat.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Animal caretakers held about 339,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of animal caretakers were as follows:
        Other personal services
                38%Self-employed workers
                19Retail trade
                13Professional, scientific, and technical services
                12Social advocacy organizations
                4Animal trainers held about 54,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of animal trainers were as follows:
        Self-employed workers
                54%Support activities for agriculture and forestry
                11Retail trade
                8Arts, entertainment, and recreation
                5Animal production and aquaculture
                5Animal care and service workers are employed in a variety of settings. Many work at kennels; others work at zoos, stables, animal shelters, pet stores, veterinary clinics, and aquariums. Their work may involve travel.
Although animal care and service workers may consider their work enjoyable and rewarding, they face unpleasant and emotionally distressing situations at times. For example, those who work in shelters may observe abused, injured, or sick animals. Some caretakers may have to help veterinarians euthanize injured or unwanted animals.
In addition, a lot the work involves physical tasks, such as moving and cleaning cages, lifting bags of food, and exercising animals.
Injuries and Illnesses
Animal caretakers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Animal care and service workers may be bitten, scratched, or kicked when working with scared or aggressive animals. Injuries may also happen while the caretaker is holding, cleaning, or restraining an animal.
Work Schedules
Although most animal trainers work full time, part-time work is common for both trainers and animal caretakers. Work schedules may vary to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that operate 24 hours a day, such as kennels, animal shelters, and stables, animals may need care around the clock.
 How to Become an Animal Care and Service Worker

			Animal care and service workersMost animal care and service workers have a high school diploma and learn the occupation on the job.			
Animal care and service workers typically have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the occupation on the job. Many employers prefer to hire people who have experience with animals.
Education
Animal care and service workers typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Although pet groomers typically learn by working under the guidance of an experienced groomer, they can also attend grooming schools.
Animal trainers usually need a high school diploma or equivalent, although some positions may require a bachelor’s degree. For example, marine mammal trainers usually need a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, animal science, biology, or a related field.
Dog trainers and horse trainers may take courses at community colleges or vocational and private training schools.
Most zoos require zookeepers to have a bachelor’s degree in biology, animal science, or a related field.
Training
Most animal care and service workers learn through on-the-job training.
Animal trainers may learn their skills from an experienced trainer. Pet groomers often learn their trade under the guidance of an experienced groomer.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although not required, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills. For example, professional associations and private vocational and state-approved trade schools offer certification for dog trainers.
The National Dog Groomers Association of America offers certification for master status as a groomer. Both the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International offer a home-study certification program for pet sitters. Marine mammal trainers should be certified in scuba diving.
Many states require self-employed animal care and service workers to have a business license.
Other Experience
For many animal care and service workers positions, it helps to have experience working with animals. Volunteering and internships at zoos and aquariums are excellent ways to gain such experience.
Important Qualities
***Compassion.*** Animal care and service workers must be compassionate when dealing with animals and their owners. They should treat animals with kindness.
***Customer-service skills.*** Animal care and service workers should understand pet owners’ needs so they can provide excellent customer service. Some workers may need to deal with distraught pet owners. For example, caretakers working in animal shelters may need to reassure owners looking for a lost pet.
***Detail oriented.*** Animal care and service workers are often responsible for maintaining records and monitoring changes in animals’ behavior.
***Patience.*** All animal caretakers and animal trainers need to be patient when working with animals.
***Physical stamina.*** Animal care and service workers must be able to kneel, crawl, and lift heavy supplies, such as bags of food.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Animal trainers must be able to assess whether animals are responding to teaching methods and to identify which methods are successful.
***Reliability.*** Animal care and service workers need to care for animals on schedule and in a timely manner.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                        Animal Care and Service WorkersMedian annual wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$48,060  Animal trainers$38,810  Personal care and service occupations$34,260  Animal care and service workers$31,830  Animal caretakers$31,200Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for animal caretakers was $31,200 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $45,080.The median annual wage for animal trainers was $38,810 in May 2023. 


The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,960, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $65,320.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for animal caretakers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Other personal services
                $30,740Retail trade
                30,730Social advocacy organizations
                29,880Professional, scientific, and technical services
                29,840In May 2023, the median annual wages for animal trainers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Arts, entertainment, and recreation
                $44,660Retail trade
                34,140Although most animal trainers work full time, part-time work is common for both trainers and animal caretakers. Work schedules may vary to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that operate 24 hours a day, such as kennels, animal shelters, and stables, animals may need care around the clock.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                       Animal Care and Service WorkersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Animal care and service workers16%  Animal trainers16%  Animal caretakers15%  Personal care and service occupations6%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of animal care and service workers is projected to grow				 16 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 79,900 openings for animal care and service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Many people consider their pets to be a part of their family and are willing to pay more for pet care than pet owners have in the past. As more households include companion pets, employment of animal care and service workers will continue to grow.
			

                        Employment projections data for     animal care and service workers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Animal care and service workers**
			39-2000
			393,100
			454,300
			16
			61,200
			Get data**Animal trainers**
			39-2011
			54,100
			62,800
			16
			8,700
			Get data**Animal caretakers**
			39-2021
			339,000
			391,500
			15
			52,500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Animal caretakers
					Animal trainers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of animal care and service workers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Agricultural Workers**
            Agricultural workers maintain crops and tend livestock.
            See How to Become One
            $34,790**Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers**
            Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers run establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $83,770**Veterinarians**
            Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $119,100**Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers**
            Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers handle routine animal care and help scientists, veterinarians, and others with their daily tasks.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $36,440**Veterinary Technologists and Technicians**
            Veterinary technologists and technicians do medical tests that help diagnose animals’ injuries and illnesses.
            Associate's degree
            $43,740**Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists**
            Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals, those both in captivity and in the wild, and how they interact with their ecosystems.
            Bachelor's degree
            $70,600
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about pet groomers, visit
National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc.
For more information about pet sitters, including information on certification, visit
National Association of Professional Pet Sitters
Pet Sitters International
For more information about animal trainers, visit
TheAssociation of Professional Dog Trainers
International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association
For more information about keepers, visit
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
American Association of Zoo Keepers
Occupational Requirements Survey
For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
Animal caretakers (PDF)
CareerOneStop
For a career video on animal trainers, visit
Animal trainers

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Animal CaretakersAnimal Trainers
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Animal Care and Service Workers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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