SOC 39-2021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Animal Caretakers — Bowling Green
Bowling Green, KY · 5 metro areas compared
The median wage for Animal Caretakers in Bowling Green, KY is $29,510 per year, 16.5% below the national median of $35,360.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Animal Caretakers in Bowling Green, KY is $29,510 per year, 16.5% below the national median of $35,360. Pay ranges from under $23,800 at the tenth percentile to more than $38,480 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $28,450 to $33,280.
The area has 160 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.9 of every thousand jobs. Lexington leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $34,590. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 256th of 279 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,800 | −32.7% |
| 25th | $28,450 | −19.5% |
| Median (50th) | $29,510 | −16.5% |
| 75th | $33,280 | −5.9% |
| 90th | $38,480 | +8.8% |
| Mean | $31,100 | −12.0% |
Other metro areas in Kentucky
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | $34,590 | 2,400 | |
| 2 | Paducah | $31,200 | 60 | |
| 3 | Louisville/Jefferson County | $30,830 | 1,640 | |
| 4 | Elizabethtown | $29,730 | 120 | |
| 5 | Owensboro | $29,070 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Bowling Green run 9.8% below the national average, so the median of $29,510 goes as far as $32,716 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 7.5% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$29,510as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$32,716US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $29,510 a year, 16.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $23,800 to $38,480 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 160 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Lexington, at $34,590.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Animal Caretakers in Bowling Green, KY?
The median annual wage is $29,510, or $14.19 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $35,360, so pay in Bowling Green, KY is 16.5% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Bowling Green, KY earns more than $38,480 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $23,800 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Lexington, at $34,590 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 160 jobs in this occupation in Bowling Green, KY. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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