The Salary of an Animal Investigator
Animal investigators ensure the safety of both people and animals by investigating incidences of animal cruelty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that more than 15,000 animal control workers were employed in the United States in 2010. Salaries earned by these animal control workers vary based on who they work for and where they work.
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Pay Scale
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Animal investigators made an average salary of $34,020 per year in 2010, according to the BLS. These investigators and animal control workers generally make salaries ranging from $19,720 to $51,840 annually. The median salary for those working in this field was $32,050, while those comprising the middle 50 percent of the pay scale made salaries that ranged from $25,490 to $41,150.
Employers
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Who the animal investigator is employed by provides some indication of how much he can expect to make also. For instance, the BLS indicates that the largest number of animal investigators worked for local government agencies, such as police departments, and made an average salary of $34,380 per year in 2010. Those who worked for social advocacy organizations made less at $29,880 annually, while those employed by state government agencies brought home an average of $38,120 per year.
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Location
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Location also provides some indication of the average salary for those working as animal investigators. The BLS reports that the highest-paid investigators worked in Nevada, California, Oregon, Alaska and Minnesota, earning average salaries in excess of $39,410 per year. Those employed in California brought home $47,220 per year, while those employed in New York and Texas made $33,410 and $29,840 annually.
Job Outlook
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The job outlook for those in animal care and service appears to be positive, based on projections made by the BLS for the period from 2008 to 2018. The bureau indicates that the number of jobs in this field should grow by about 21 percent. Larger numbers of pet owners will necessitate an increased number of animal control investigators to examine allegations of animal cruelty and neglect.
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References
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