Animal Caretakers pay range in St. Cloud
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,260 or more. The middle half of animal caretakers in St. Cloud earn between $29,640 and $37,630.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $35KMedian
- $38K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,060 | $3,005 | $17.34 |
| Median | $35,390 | $2,949 | $17.01 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,640 | $2,470 | $14.25 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,630 | $3,136 | $18.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Animal Caretakers salary after taxes in St. Cloud
On the average salary of $36,060, a single filer in St. Cloud takes home about $30,044 a year, or $2,504 a month and $1,156 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Is St. Cloud a good place for animal caretakers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the St. Cloud area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.6), so the average $36,060 buys what about $41,149 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Cloud ($50,840). A typical home costs $318,864, or 8.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Animal Caretakers salary in other Minnesota cities
St. Cloud ranks 4th of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Rochester pays the most ($41,120).
- Rochester$41,120
- Minneapolis$39,340
- Mankato$36,780
- St. Cloud$36,060
- Duluth$34,910
Highest-paying cities for animal caretakers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($47,930).
- San Jose, CA$47,930
- Seattle, WA$47,810
- San Francisco, CA$46,960
- Phoenix, AZ$46,050
- Barnstable, MA$45,910
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Animal Caretakers salary in St. Cloud: questions
How much do animal caretakers make an hour in St. Cloud?
$17.34 an hour on average, and $17.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level animal caretakers salary in St. Cloud?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,640, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the animal caretakers take-home pay in St. Cloud?
About $30,044 a year ($2,504 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,060. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Do animal caretakers earn more in St. Cloud than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($37,713).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 39-2021; area St. Cloud, MN (41060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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