SOC 39-2021 · Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro

Animal Caretakers Salary in Staunton, VA

The average salary for animal caretakers in Staunton, Virginia is $33,320 a year ($16.02 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $28,940: half of the 120 people in this job in the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($37,300).

$33,320average per year

$16.02 / hourMedian $28,940Take-home ≈ $27,851

  • $27K10th
  • $28K25th
  • $29KMedian
  • $35K75th
  • $43K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

120people in this job
-11%vs U.S. average
#6 of 9Virginia metros
91cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Animal Caretakers pay range in Staunton

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,260 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,280 or more. The middle half of animal caretakers in Staunton earn between $27,790 and $35,460.

  • $27K10th
  • $28K25th
  • $29KMedian
  • $35K75th
  • $43K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$33,320$2,777$16.02
Median$28,940$2,412$13.91
Entry level (25th percentile)$27,790$2,316$13.36
Experienced (75th percentile)$35,460$2,955$17.05

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Animal Caretakers pay in Staunton vs. Virginia and the U.S.

Animal caretakers in Staunton earn 8% less than the Virginia average ($36,070) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($37,300). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $35,360.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Staunton$33,320$28,940$27,260$43,280120
Virginia$36,070$34,380$28,050$46,18010,070
United States$37,300$35,360$27,250$50,060266,910

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Animal Caretakers salary after taxes in Staunton

On the average salary of $33,320, a single filer in Staunton takes home about $27,851 a year, or $2,321 a month and $1,071 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).

Virginia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Staunton a good place for animal caretakers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Staunton area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.1), so the average $33,320 buys what about $36,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Staunton ($48,040). A typical home costs $334,927, or 10.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $33,320 is worth in another city

Animal Caretakers salary in other Virginia cities

Staunton ranks 6th of 9 Virginia metro areas for this job; Charlottesville pays the most ($36,170).

All Animal Caretakers salaries in Virginia

Highest-paying cities for animal caretakers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($47,930).

Animal Caretakers salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Animal Caretakers in Staunton, VA.

Animal Caretakers salary in Staunton: questions

How much do animal caretakers make an hour in Staunton?

$16.02 an hour on average, and $13.92 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level animal caretakers salary in Staunton?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,260 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,790, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the animal caretakers take-home pay in Staunton?

About $27,851 a year ($2,321 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,320.

Do animal caretakers earn more in Staunton than elsewhere?

The average here is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($37,300).

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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA (44420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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 (2025 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.35, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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