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Salary comparison

Accountants and Auditors vs. Animal Caretakers: Who Earns More?

Accountants and Auditors out-earn Animal Caretakers by $48K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Accountants and Auditors land at $83,680 and Animal Caretakers at $35,360. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while animal caretaker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors is District of Columbia ($111,530); for Animal Caretakers it's District of Columbia ($44,210).

Accountants and Auditors
Animal Caretakers
Median salary
$83,680
$35,360
Hourly rate
$40.23/hr
$17/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$56,020
$27,250
Senior level (90th %)
$144,090
$50,060
Education required
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
1,449,500
266,910
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
12.1%
Category
Business & Finance
Personal Care
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Animal Caretakers
District of Columbia
$111,530
$44,210
New York
$102,640
$37,840
Massachusetts
$99,460
$39,650
Connecticut
$97,550
$37,310
California
$97,050
$38,700
Colorado
$97,030
$37,430
Washington
$96,550
$40,570
Rhode Island
$95,820
$37,120
Maryland
$89,370
$36,780
Oregon
$85,800
$36,580
Alaska
$83,460
$36,640
Minnesota
$81,600
$36,430
Arizona
$79,970
$38,180
Maine
$77,480
$37,230
Hawaii
$74,500
$40,130

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditors or Animal Caretakers?

Accountants and Auditors earn more nationally. The median is $83,680 for Accountants and Auditors versus $35,360 for Animal Caretakers, a difference of $48K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Animal Caretakers?

Animal Caretakers has the better 10-year outlook at 12.1% projected growth, compared to 4.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Animal Caretakers?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Animal Caretakers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditors get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditors at $111,530/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Animal Caretakers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Accountants and Auditors earn $111,530 vs. $44,210 for Animal Caretakers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Animal Caretakers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Animal Caretakers by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a animal caretakersGuide →