Animal Caretakers pay range in Waco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,640 or more. The middle half of animal caretakers in Waco earn between $27,250 and $38,590.
- $23K10th
- $27K25th
- $32KMedian
- $39K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,260 | $2,938 | $16.95 |
| Median | $31,540 | $2,628 | $15.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,250 | $2,271 | $13.10 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,590 | $3,216 | $18.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Animal Caretakers salary after taxes in Waco
On the average salary of $35,260, a single filer in Waco takes home about $30,511 a year, or $2,543 a month and $1,174 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Waco a good place for animal caretakers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Waco area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.5), so the average $35,260 buys what about $38,098 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Waco ($46,020). A typical home costs $256,772, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Animal Caretakers salary in other Texas cities
Waco ranks 10th of 25 Texas metro areas for this job; Dallas pays the most ($37,840).
- Dallas$37,840
- Odessa$37,830
- Austin$37,660
- McAllen$36,340
- Midland$36,330
- Abilene$36,180
- Killeen$36,120
- San Angelo$35,930
- San Antonio$35,710
- Waco$35,260
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 Waco: questions
How much do animal caretakers make an hour in Waco?
$16.95 an hour on average, and $15.17 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level animal caretakers salary in Waco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,250, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the animal caretakers take-home pay in Waco?
About $30,511 a year ($2,543 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,260. Texas has no state income tax.
Do animal caretakers earn more in Waco than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Waco, TX (47380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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