Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Indiana is $29,990/year ($14.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $32,665 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 53% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in Indiana?
About animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for animal caretakers in Indiana runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 54.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Caretakers salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $30K | +2% | 2,810 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $30K | +1% | 230 |
| Bloomington | $30K | -1% | 170 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $30K | -1% | 100 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $30K | -2% | 120 |
| Fort Wayne | $30K | -2% | 380 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $29K | -2% | 230 |
| Evansville | $29K | -2% | 340 |
| Columbus | $29K | -3% | 80 |
| Kokomo | $29K | -4% | 50 |
| Muncie | $28K | -7% | 80 |
| Terre Haute | $27K | -9% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 54.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,346/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Indiana?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Indiana pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Indiana?
The median is $29,990 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,440, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $43,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,102/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 54.4% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $32,665 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.