Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Burlington-South Burlington, VT is $41,330/year ($19.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.95), that's roughly $40,941 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,140/month, about 75% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Burlington-South Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington-South Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (100.95). 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 Burlington-South Burlington
Burlington-South Burlington sits well above the national pay line for animal caretakers, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,140/month, which is 74.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.95) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for animal caretakers in metros near Burlington-South Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $38K | $34K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $40K | $37K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $36K | $36K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $35K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $15K 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 |
| Michigan | $30K | -14% | 6,290 |
| Nevada | $30K | -14% | 2,470 |
| 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Burlington-South Burlington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington-South Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 74.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,140/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal caretakers in Burlington-South Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,094/month. At HUD’s $2,140/month FMR, rent would take 102% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $41K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Burlington-South Burlington compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Burlington-South Burlington pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
The median is $41,330 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,900, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $49,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Burlington-South Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,863/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,140/month, which eats 74.7% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Burlington-South Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 100.95 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median animal caretakers salary is worth about $40,941 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.