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Salary comparison

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Animal Caretakers: Who Earns More?

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors out-earn Animal Caretakers by $26K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors land at $61,540 and Animal Caretakers at $35,360. The education gap is real: adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while animal caretaker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors is California ($102,030); for Animal Caretakers it's District of Columbia ($44,210).

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Animal Caretakers
Median salary
$61,540
$35,360
Hourly rate
$29.59/hr
$17/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$41,810
$27,250
Senior level (90th %)
$98,030
$50,060
Education required
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
37,310
266,910
Job growth (10-year)
-13.7%
12.1%
Category
Education
Personal Care
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors median pay.

State
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Animal Caretakers
California
$102,030
$38,700
New York
$78,010
$37,840
Minnesota
$76,800
$36,430
Connecticut
$72,180
$37,310
Washington
$69,990
$40,570
Oregon
$65,700
$36,580
District of Columbia
$62,940
$44,210
Vermont
$62,500
$36,090
Massachusetts
$62,290
$39,650
Arizona
$61,750
$38,180
Maryland
$59,950
$36,780
Maine
$58,880
$37,230
Rhode Island
$57,690
$37,120
Colorado
$51,170
$37,430
Hawaii
$44,600
$40,130

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Animal Caretakers?

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors earn more nationally. The median is $61,540 for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors versus $35,360 for Animal Caretakers, a difference of $26K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Animal Caretakers?

Animal Caretakers has the better 10-year outlook at 12.1% projected growth, compared to -13.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Animal Caretakers?

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors typically requires bachelor's degree. Animal Caretakers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors at $102,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Animal Caretakers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors earn $102,030 vs. $38,700 for Animal Caretakers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors salary breakdownView →Full Animal Caretakers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Animal Caretakers by take-home payExplore →How to become a adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructorsGuide →How to become a animal caretakersGuide →