Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Nevada is $30,320/year ($14.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.79), that's roughly $30,384 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,501/month, about 68.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nevada. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $30K actually covers in Nevada, month by month
About animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Nevada
Pay for animal caretakers in Nevada runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,501/month, which is 68.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.79) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for animal caretakers.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nevada
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Caretakers salary by metro in Nevada
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno | $34K | +12% | 480 |
| Carson City | $30K | -1% | 50 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $30K | -1% | 1,790 |
Compare to other states
Track animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Nevada numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nevada?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 68.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal caretakers in Nevada?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,997/month. At HUD’s $1,501/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Nevada?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Nevada compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Nevada pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Nevada?
The median is $30,320 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,280, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $51,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Nevada?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,200/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,501/month, which eats 68.2% 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 Nevada?
Nevada has a Regional Price Parity of 99.79 (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 $30,384 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.