SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-9011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $33,090 | $2,758 | $636 | $15.91 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $37,750 | $3,146 | $726 | $18.15 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $45,660 | $3,805 | $878 | $21.95 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $57,060 | $4,755 | $1,097 | $27.44 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $68,070 | $5,672 | $1,309 | $32.72 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Animal Control Workers is $45,660, which is 10% lower. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 18 by median pay. With 12,070 jobs, it makes up about 0.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Animal Control Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($66,440), Oregon ($66,130) and Alaska ($63,340). The lowest was in Arkansas ($34,410), Mississippi ($34,890) and West Virginia ($35,120). The most jobs were in Texas (1,300), California (1,210) and New York (870). The occupation is most concentrated in New Mexico, where its share of all jobs is 3.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 180 | $66,440 | $65,980 | $31.94 |
| Oregon | 40 | $66,130 | $67,020 | $31.79 |
| Alaska | 30 | $63,340 | $60,730 | $30.45 |
| California | 1,210 | $62,630 | $63,690 | $30.11 |
| Massachusetts | 280 | $60,930 | $61,860 | $29.29 |
| Nevada | 100 | $58,810 | $58,020 | $28.27 |
| Colorado | 170 | $58,470 | $58,520 | $28.11 |
| Connecticut | 220 | $57,130 | $58,920 | $27.47 |
| Rhode Island | 70 | $55,060 | $53,830 | $26.47 |
| Iowa | 80 | $54,190 | $52,160 | $26.05 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $53,870 | $51,690 | $25.90 |
| Maryland | 140 | $53,330 | $56,250 | $25.64 |
| New Jersey | 260 | $52,050 | $55,340 | $25.03 |
| Pennsylvania | not published | $52,000 | $54,120 | $25.00 |
| Montana | 50 | $50,530 | $49,840 | $24.29 |
| Maine | 90 | $49,660 | $49,330 | $23.87 |
| Virginia | 430 | $49,010 | $49,570 | $23.56 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $48,840 | $50,250 | $23.48 |
| New York | 870 | $48,420 | $53,720 | $23.28 |
| Michigan | 260 | $48,340 | $48,080 | $23.24 |
| Arizona | 210 | $47,650 | $46,970 | $22.91 |
| Utah | 200 | $47,210 | $47,580 | $22.70 |
| Florida | 640 | $45,860 | $48,190 | $22.05 |
| South Dakota | 50 | $45,530 | $43,630 | $21.89 |
| Ohio | 290 | $45,220 | $45,510 | $21.74 |
| North Carolina | 460 | $43,940 | $44,160 | $21.12 |
| Idaho | 50 | $43,930 | $43,780 | $21.12 |
| Texas | 1,300 | $43,250 | $43,060 | $20.79 |
| Indiana | 340 | $43,000 | $43,350 | $20.68 |
| Tennessee | 280 | $42,970 | $41,710 | $20.66 |
| Illinois | 410 | $42,480 | $47,480 | $20.42 |
| Missouri | 440 | $41,760 | $42,320 | $20.08 |
| Kansas | 190 | $39,520 | $42,280 | $19.00 |
| Georgia | 430 | $39,500 | $41,390 | $18.99 |
| South Carolina | 180 | $38,790 | $39,680 | $18.65 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $38,020 | $40,120 | $18.28 |
| New Mexico | 260 | $37,800 | $39,330 | $18.17 |
| Oklahoma | 380 | $37,450 | $38,470 | $18.00 |
| Wisconsin | 120 | $37,380 | $45,650 | $17.97 |
| Alabama | 290 | $37,340 | $39,100 | $17.95 |
| Kentucky | 190 | $35,360 | $35,810 | $17.00 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $35,120 | $35,070 | $16.89 |
| Mississippi | 160 | $34,890 | $36,450 | $16.77 |
| Arkansas | 180 | $34,410 | $34,130 | $16.54 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940 a year
- Private Detectives and Investigators$51,220 a year
- Parking Enforcement Workers$46,730 a year
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators$43,370 a year
- Protective Service Workers, All Other$42,540 a year
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers$38,100 a year
Common questions
How much do Animal Control Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $45,660 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,090 and the highest-paid 10% more than $68,070.
How many people work as Animal Control Workers?
About 12,070 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.