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Salary comparison

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Animal Caretakers: Who Earns More?

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders out-earn Animal Caretakers by $11K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders land at $46,460 and Animal Caretakers at $35,360. The education gap is real: adhesive bonding machine operators and tender programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while animal caretaker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders is Utah ($65,500); for Animal Caretakers it's District of Columbia ($44,210).

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Animal Caretakers
Median salary
$46,460
$35,360
Hourly rate
$22.34/hr
$17/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,460
$27,250
Senior level (90th %)
$60,810
$50,060
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
11,500
266,910
Job growth (10-year)
1%
12.1%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Utah
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders median pay.

State
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Animal Caretakers
Utah
$65,500
$34,750
New Jersey
$59,170
$35,850
Washington
$56,580
$40,570
Minnesota
$56,540
$36,430
Oregon
$50,050
$36,580
Colorado
$49,920
$37,430
Connecticut
$49,280
$37,310
Virginia
$47,250
$34,380
Maine
$43,960
$37,230
New York
$42,130
$37,840
Arizona
$41,600
$38,180
California
$40,440
$38,700
Massachusetts
$39,250
$39,650
Florida
$34,650
$34,150
Maryland
$33,540
$36,780

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Animal Caretakers?

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders earn more nationally. The median is $46,460 for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders versus $35,360 for Animal Caretakers, a difference of $11K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Animal Caretakers?

Animal Caretakers has the better 10-year outlook at 12.1% projected growth, compared to 1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders or Animal Caretakers?

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Animal Caretakers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders get paid the most?

Utah is the top-paying state for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders at $65,500/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Animal Caretakers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Utah, Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders earn $65,500 vs. $34,750 for Animal Caretakers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders salary breakdownView →Full Animal Caretakers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Animal Caretakers by take-home payExplore →How to become a adhesive bonding machine operators and tendersGuide →How to become a animal caretakersGuide →