The median pay for Animal Control Workers is $45,660 a year ($21.95/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.0% through 2035, with about 1,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 33-9011
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Animal Control Worker in four numbers
- Median pay
- $45,660a year, or $21.95/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $33KTop 10% $68K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.0%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,50013,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202513.8K
- Projected 203514.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 13.8K Projected 2035 14.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school65.4%
- Certificate19.2%
- Associate's11.5%
- Bachelor's3.9%
Highest education held by animal control workers Segment Value High school 65.4% Certificate 19.2% Associate's 11.5% Bachelor's 3.9%
Also advertised as: ACO (Animal Control Officer), Animal Attendant, Animal Cruelty Investigator, Animal Enforcement Officer, Animal Instructor Officer, Animal Ordinance Enforcement Officer.
Pay
How much do Animal Control Workers make?
Every animal control worker in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$45,660
Middle half earn $37,750 to $57,060
- 10th
- $33,090
- 25th
- $37,750
- 75th
- $57,060
- 90th
- $68,070
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,090 |
| 25th | $37,750 |
| Median | $45,660 |
| 75th | $57,060 |
| 90th | $68,070 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $45,660
- Median hourly wage
- $21.95/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $48,440
- People employed
- 12,070
Versus all US occupations
At $45,660, Animal Control Workers earn 10% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $5,320 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 38% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $68,070 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,090, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 12% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($66,440), but once local prices are taken into account Oregon leads at $63,980 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Animal Control Workers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $66,440 | $62,086 | 180 |
| 2Oregon | $66,130 | $63,980 | 40 |
| 3Alaska | $63,340 | $61,880 | 30 |
| 4California | $62,630 | $56,566 | 1,210 |
| 5Massachusetts | $60,930 | $57,613 | 280 |
| 6Nevada | $58,810 | $58,822 | 100 |
| 7Colorado | $58,470 | $56,738 | 170 |
| 8Connecticut | $57,130 | $55,139 | 220 |
| 9Rhode Island | $55,060 | $53,833 | 70 |
| 10Iowa | $54,190 | $61,747 | 80 |
Job outlook
Is Animal Control Worker a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Animal Control Workers | +4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Animal Control Workers to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,500 openings are projected each year, 10.9% of the 13,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Animal Control Worker
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as animal control workers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)65.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate19.2%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11.5%
- Bachelor's Degree3.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 65.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 19.2% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 11.5% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 3.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Animal Control Worker do?
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
Day-to-day tasks
- Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.
- Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
- Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.
- Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
- Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.
- Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.
- Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
- Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Writing3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Negotiation2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Negotiation | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Geographic information system
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Animal Control Worker?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Animal Control Worker |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.9
- Conventional3.9
- Investigative3.6
- Social2.6
- Enterprising2.2
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Animal Control Worker
O*NET related occupations
- Personal Care and Service
- Healthcare Support
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker
$38,150median a year
Most earn $30K to $49K
+9.1%High school - Protective Service
- Personal Care and Service
- Protective Service
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with animal control workers highlighted
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Firefighter$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Animal Control Worker$45,660
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Animal Control Worker | $45,660 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Animal Control Worker appears on
Questions
Animal Control Worker: frequently asked questions
How much do Animal Control Workers make?
Animal Control Workers earn a median of $45,660 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 10% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $21.95/hr. The middle half earn between $37,750 and $57,060. The top 10% earn $68,070 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Animal Control Worker?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Animal Control Workers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Animal Control Worker a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Animal Control Worker do?
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals. A core O*NET task: write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Document management software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Animal Control Workers the most?
The highest state medians for Animal Control Workers are Washington ($66,440), Oregon ($66,130), Alaska ($63,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Oregon moves to the top at $63,980.
What personality type suits an Animal Control Worker?
O*NET scores Animal Control Workers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.