Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Bay City, MI is $29,340/year ($14.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.92), which stretches that salary to about $31,919 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,030/month, about 49.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Bay City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bay City’s Regional Price Parity (91.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Bay City
Pay for animal caretakers in Bay City runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,030/month, which is 50.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for animal caretakerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for animal caretakers in metros near Bay City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $31K | $31K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $30K | $31K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $31K | $32K |
| Ann Arbor | $34K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bay City, MI
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Caretakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Animal Caretakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $44K | +25% | 460 |
| Washington | $41K | +15% | 6,620 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +13% | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $40K | +12% | 6,900 |
| California | $39K | +9% | 25,710 |
| Arizona | $38K | +8% | 6,330 |
| New York | $38K | +7% | 12,470 |
| Colorado | $37K | +6% | 6,290 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +6% | 3,000 |
| Maine | $37K | +5% | 1,430 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +5% | 1,020 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 5,570 |
| Alaska | $37K | +4% | 550 |
| Oregon | $37K | +3% | 3,470 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +3% | 4,250 |
| Vermont | $36K | +2% | 430 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +1% | 5,890 |
| Illinois | $36K | +1% | 11,070 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -2% | 1,810 |
| Utah | $35K | -2% | 2,350 |
| Virginia | $34K | -3% | 10,070 |
| Montana | $34K | -3% | 1,200 |
| Florida | $34K | -3% | 17,210 |
| North Dakota | $34K | -4% | 770 |
| Delaware | $34K | -4% | 1,230 |
| New Mexico | $34K | -5% | 1,710 |
| Texas | $33K | -7% | 20,450 |
| Idaho | $32K | -9% | 1,760 |
| Nebraska | $32K | -10% | 2,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -11% | 9,910 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -12% | 4,090 |
| Missouri | $31K | -12% | 5,820 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -13% | 9,730 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -13% | 6,140 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -14% | 6,110 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -14% | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $30K | -14% | 2,470 |
| Michigan | $30K | -14% | 6,290 |
| Ohio | $30K | -14% | 9,350 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -15% | 2,040 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -15% | 5,720 |
| Iowa | $30K | -15% | 3,480 |
| Indiana | $30K | -15% | 6,420 |
| Georgia | $30K | -16% | 9,110 |
| Kansas | $30K | -16% | 3,000 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -18% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -18% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -19% | 1,160 |
| Alabama | $28K | -20% | 4,100 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -21% | 2,660 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -24% | 1,900 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bay City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bay City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 50.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,030/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal caretakers in Bay City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,558/month. At HUD’s $1,030/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is animal caretaker a high-paying job in Bay City?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $29K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Bay City compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Bay City pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Bay City, MI?
The median is $29,340 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,960, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $37,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Bay City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,031/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,030/month, which eats 50.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a animal caretakers salary go in Bay City?
Bay City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median animal caretakers salary is worth about $31,919 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do animal caretakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.