Animal Keeper Salaries in Alabama
Animal keepers care for pets in kennels and for animals in humane shelters, zoos and research facilities. They may monitor animal behavior, change bedding and litter, clean and disinfect cages, and keep records on animal feedings and other tasks. Alabama is generally a low-paying state for animal keepers, with nearly all there earning less than $12 per hour as of 2010.
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Average and Median Pay
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Animal keepers in Alabama had an average salary of $9.18 per hour as of May 2010, or $19,090 per year for those working full-time year-round, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median salary, or the number at which half the animal keeper salaries were higher and half lower, was $8.65 per hour. The average pay rate in Alabama was about 14 percent lower than the nationwide average for this occupation of $10.61 per hour.
Salary Range
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As of 2010, the middle 50 percent of animal keepers in Alabama had salaries of $7.82 to $9.88 per hour, or $16,260 to $20,550 per year. The bottom 10 percent of the pay scale was at or below $7.49 per hour, or $15,570 per year. The top 10 percent of Alabama animal keepers were making $11.86 per hour and higher, or $24,680 per year and more.
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Regions
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The lowest wages for animal keepers in Alabama were in the southeast nonmetropolitan area of the state, at $8.02 per hour on average, and in the northeast nonmetropolitan area at $8.16. The highest average pay rates were in Tuscaloosa at $10.14 and in the southwest nonmetropolitan area at $10.07. Animal keepers in other parts of Alabama had average salaries in a range from about $8.20 to $9.40 per hour.
Comparisons
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By state, Alabama had the second-lowest average salary for animal keepers -- only Arkansas ranked lower -- with an average wage of $9.06 for this occupation. Other states where animal keepers earned exceptionally low average pay were West Virginia at $9.26 per hour and South Dakota at $9.35. The highest average salary for animal keepers was in Hawaii, at $14.45 per hour, or $30,050 per year.
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References
- O*Net Online: Nonfarm Animal Caretakers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010 - Nonfarm Animal Caretakers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2010 - State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Alabama
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics Query System
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