Personal Care and Service · Career brief

Animal Caretakers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Animal Caretakers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$35,360

Lower national median pay

2025 national median. Bottom quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

12.1%

Strong projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

62,800

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are growth and opening volume; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

Before choosing, compare:Animal Trainers Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors Funeral Attendants

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Animal Caretakers with another field Explore rankings in Personal Care and Service Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$35,360

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

12.1%employment growth62,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

365,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Animal caretakers (39-2021).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.
The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Getting Information4.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.2
Performing General Physical Activities4.2
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.0
Handling and Moving Objects3.9

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic6.2
Social3.8
Conventional3.3
Investigative2.8
Artistic1.6
Enterprising1.5

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Psychology Mathematics Public Safety and Security

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Volunteer in a structured, supervised role long enough to learn whether sustained responsibility for other people's needs feels meaningful or draining.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Animal caretakers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Animal Trainers, Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors, Funeral Attendants, Childcare Workers.