Animal Caretakers pay in California
$42,730avg. a year
$20.54 an hour · 25,710 employed
Animal Caretakers in California earn an average of $42,730 a year. That is $5,430 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $37,300. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $47,930.
$38,700Median pay
$20.54Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for animal caretakers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,090 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$47,930
$23.04 an hour
23,440 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$46,960
$22.58 an hour
360 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$45,330
$21.79 an hour
4230 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$45,130
$21.70 an hour
5100 jobs
Napa, CA
$44,720
$21.50 an hour
6240 jobs
Salinas, CA
$43,490
$20.91 an hour
7200 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$43,360
$20.85 an hour
83,030 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$42,970
$20.66 an hour
9600 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$42,370
$20.37 an hour
10270 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$42,350
$20.36 an hour
11380 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$42,300
$20.34 an hour
12280 jobs
Modesto, CA
$42,120
$20.25 an hour
131,510 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$41,830
$20.11 an hour
149,000 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$41,710
$20.05 an hour
1540 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,690
$20.04 an hour
16520 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$41,020
$19.72 an hour
17540 jobs
Fresno, CA
$40,710
$19.57 an hour
18300 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$40,510
$19.48 an hour
192,170 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$40,430
$19.44 an hour
20160 jobs
Redding, CA
$40,390
$19.42 an hour
2150 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$40,200
$19.33 an hour
2280 jobs
Merced, CA
$40,190
$19.32 an hour
23150 jobs
Chico, CA
$40,130
$19.29 an hour
24120 jobs
Visalia, CA
$39,310
$18.90 an hour
25310 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$38,950
$18.73 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Animal Caretakers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California animal caretakers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $34k$34k–$36k$36k–$40k$40k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $37,300 | $17.94 |
| California | $42,730 | $20.54 |
| Arizona | $44,630 | $21.46 |
| Oregon | $40,380 | $19.42 |
| Nevada | $34,400 | $16.54 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do animal caretakers make in California?
The average is $42,730 a year, and the median is $38,700. That is $5,430 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $37,300.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$20.54 an hour on average; the median is $18.60.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,930), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($46,960). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($38,950).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 39-2021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national animal caretakers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.