Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $30,870/year ($14.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $31,519 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 81.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for animal caretakers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 80.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) 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 caretakerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for animal caretakers in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $34K | $34K |
| Charlottesville | $35K | $35K |
| Roanoke | $30K | $32K |
| Lynchburg | $29K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $16K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 80.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,661/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 103% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $30,870 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,680, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $43,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,132/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 80.3% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $31,519 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.