Animal Control Workers Salary
The median pay for a animal control workers in Pennsylvania is $52,000/year ($25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $54,754 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Pennsylvania?
About animal control workers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for animal control workers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 38.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level animal control workers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Control Workers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $57K | +9% | 50 |
| Pittsburgh | $52K | +0% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track animal control workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal control worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 38.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal control workers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal control workers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,864/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is animal control worker a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $52K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for animal control workers?
Pennsylvania pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do animal control workers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $52,000 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,740, and experienced animal control workers can clear $67,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,519/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 38.4% 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 control workers salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 control workers salary is worth about $54,754 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do animal control workers 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.