Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Iowa is $30,080/year ($14.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $33,851 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 51.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in Iowa?
About animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for animal caretakers in Iowa 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 $1,064/month, which is 51.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Iowa
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Caretakers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $39K | +29% | 190 |
| Iowa City | $34K | +11% | 300 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | +4% | 290 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $31K | +3% | 920 |
| Sioux City | $30K | -1% | 130 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $30K | -1% | 470 |
| Dubuque | $29K | -2% | 80 |
| Cedar Rapids | $29K | -3% | 340 |
Compare to other states
Track animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 51.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,347/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Iowa pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Iowa?
The median is $30,080 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,450, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $45,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 51.3% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $33,851 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.