Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the pet care (except veterinary) services industry earns $29,702 per year ($14.28/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Pet Care Workers Earn?
At $29,702/year (equivalent to $14.28/hour for a full-time worker), pet care (except veterinary) services wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical pet care (except veterinary) services business employs 7 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average pet care (except veterinary) services business generating $409K/year with 7 employees at $29,702 each, total payroll represents roughly 50.9% of revenue. This is a labor-intensive industry — payroll is the dominant expense.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a pet care (except veterinary) servicesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $38,613/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 7 employees = ~$207,914/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $14.28/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $409K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do pet care (except veterinary) services employees make?
- The average pet care (except veterinary) services employee earns $29,702 per year, which is equivalent to $14.28/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the pet care (except veterinary) services industry?
- The pet care (except veterinary) services industry employs 183,828 workers across 25,822 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 7 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).