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Salary comparison

Aircraft Service Attendants vs. Animal Caretakers: Who Earns More?

Aircraft Service Attendants out-earn Animal Caretakers by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Aircraft Service Attendants land at $40,450 and Animal Caretakers at $35,360. The education gap is real: aircraft service attendant programs typically require no formal educational credential, while animal caretaker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Aircraft Service Attendants is Maryland ($71,740); for Animal Caretakers it's District of Columbia ($44,210).

Aircraft Service Attendants
Animal Caretakers
Median salary
$40,450
$35,360
Hourly rate
$19.45/hr
$17/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,830
$27,250
Senior level (90th %)
$57,610
$50,060
Education required
No formal educational credential
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
31,300
266,910
Job growth (10-year)
5.1%
12.1%
Category
Transportation
Personal Care
Top-paying state
Maryland
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Aircraft Service Attendants median pay.

State
Aircraft Service Attendants
Animal Caretakers
Maryland
$71,740
$36,780
Hawaii
$53,770
$40,130
Washington
$50,520
$40,570
Minnesota
$46,930
$36,430
California
$46,800
$38,700
Alaska
$46,760
$36,640
New Jersey
$46,210
$35,850
New York
$44,600
$37,840
Colorado
$44,500
$37,430
Massachusetts
$44,190
$39,650
Arizona
$43,780
$38,180
Maine
$41,400
$37,230
Oregon
$39,820
$36,580
Connecticut
$39,230
$37,310
Illinois
$39,070
$35,570

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Aircraft Service Attendants or Animal Caretakers?

Aircraft Service Attendants earn more nationally. The median is $40,450 for Aircraft Service Attendants versus $35,360 for Animal Caretakers, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Aircraft Service Attendants or Animal Caretakers?

Animal Caretakers has the better 10-year outlook at 12.1% projected growth, compared to 5.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Aircraft Service Attendants or Animal Caretakers?

Aircraft Service Attendants typically requires no formal educational credential. Animal Caretakers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Aircraft Service Attendants get paid the most?

Maryland is the top-paying state for Aircraft Service Attendants at $71,740/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Aircraft Service Attendants vs. Animal Caretakers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Maryland, Aircraft Service Attendants earn $71,740 vs. $36,780 for Animal Caretakers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Aircraft Service Attendants salary breakdownView →Full Animal Caretakers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Aircraft Service Attendants by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Animal Caretakers by take-home payExplore →How to become a aircraft service attendantsGuide →How to become a animal caretakersGuide →