Animal Caretaker Salary in Worcester, MA

Animal Caretakers in the Worcester, MA metro area earn a median $37,590 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,724 take-home, or $2,560 a month.

Median salary
$37,590
$18.07 per hour
Typical range
$34,130 – $57,070
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Worcester, MA
660
1.10× national concentration

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median animal caretaker salary in Worcester, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Animal Caretaker in Worcester, MA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$30,724
per year · effective tax rate 18.3%
$2,560Monthly
$1,280Twice a month
$1,182Every 2 weeks
$14.77Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,331
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,331
  • Medicare (1.45%)$545
  • Massachusetts income tax$1,660
  • Take-home pay$30,724

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state

Animal Caretaker pay by experience in Worcester, MA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$34,130$16.41$28,117$2,343
25th percentile$36,090$17.35$29,594$2,466
Median (50th)$37,590$18.07$30,724$2,560
75th percentile$44,220$21.26$35,720$2,977
90th percentile (top earners)$57,070$27.44$45,402$3,784

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $37,590 buys in Worcester, MA

Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median animal caretaker's $30,724 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,968 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,558
61% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,997
78% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,002
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Animal Caretaker jobs are about as common in Worcester, MA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).

Best-paying cities for animal caretakers, adjusted for cost of living

Worcester, MA ranks #21 of 102 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $44,060$37,582$33,817
2San Jose, CA $44,070$36,265$32,842
3Tucson, AZ $36,870$31,092$32,088
4Ocala, FL $34,930$30,246$31,760
5Phoenix, AZ $39,030$32,774$31,722
6Portland, ME $38,580$31,733$31,154
7Lexington, KY $34,590$28,880$31,091
8San Francisco, CA $43,640$35,942$31,089
21Worcester, MA$37,590$30,724$29,968

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 102 metros →

Animal Caretaker salaries elsewhere in Massachusetts

Frequently asked questions

How much does a animal caretaker make in Worcester, MA?

The median animal caretaker salary in the Worcester, MA metro area is $37,590 a year, or about $18.07 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,090 and $44,220.

What is a animal caretaker’s take-home pay in Worcester, MA?

On the median $37,590 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $30,724 a year ($2,560 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,660 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.

Is Worcester, MA a good place to work as a animal caretaker?

Pay here is 6% above the national median of $35,360. Local prices are 2.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,968 would in a typical U.S. city. Worcester, MA ranks #21 of 102 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a animal caretaker afford rent in Worcester, MA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Worcester, MA is $1,558 a month ($1,997 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median animal caretaker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Worcester, MA →