Animal Control Worker Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Animal Control Workers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$45,660
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$21.95
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$68,070
entry level starts ~$33,090
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 12,000 employed

How much does an Animal Control Worker make?

An Animal Control Worker earns a median annual salary of $45,660 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.95 per hour for full-time work. Most Animal Control Workers earn between $33,090 at the entry level and $68,070 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,750 and $57,060 a year.

That is $15,730 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Animal Control Worker salary range by percentile

Half of all Animal Control Workers earn between $37,750 and $57,060 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$33,090$15.91
25th percentile (early career)$37,750$18.15
50th percentile (median)$45,660$21.95
75th percentile (experienced)$57,060$27.43
90th percentile (top earners)$68,070$32.73

Highest-paying states for Animal Control Worker

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Animal Control Worker pay at $66,440 a year, followed by Oregon ($66,130) and Alaska ($63,340). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $34,410 — a gap of $32,030 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$66,440$31.94+46%
2Oregon$66,130$31.79+45%
3Alaska$63,340$30.45+39%
4California$62,630$30.11+37%
5Massachusetts$60,930$29.29+33%

Workforce and education

About 12,000 people work as Animal Control Workers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $48,440 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Animal Control Worker make in the United States?
The median Animal Control Worker salary in the United States is $45,660 per year, or about $21.95 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $33,090, while the top 10% of earners make $68,070 or more.
How does Animal Control Worker pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Animal Control Worker median of $45,660 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Animal Control Workers the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Animal Control Workers, with a median salary of $66,440 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Animal Control Worker?
Becoming an Animal Control Worker typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Animal Control Workers work in the United States?
About 12,000 people were employed as Animal Control Workers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other protective service roles with similar pay.

Crossing Guards and Flaggers

$38,100
median pay · 94,000 employed

Private Detectives and Investigators

$51,220
median pay · 36,000 employed

Parking Enforcement Worker

$46,730
median pay · 9,000 employed

Bailiff

$56,600
median pay · 17,000 employed

Security Guard

$38,020
median pay · 1,283,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.