SOC 39-2021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Animal Caretakers — Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, VA · 8 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Harrisonburg, VA is $31,980 a year, trailing the national median of $35,360 by 9.6%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow much faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +12.1%
- Openings per year
- 74,600
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
25.2% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Harrisonburg, VA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Harrisonburg, VA is $31,980 a year, trailing the national median of $35,360 by 9.6%. Half of workers earn between $28,250 and $35,690. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $27,630 and the ninetieth at $46,070.
The area has 140 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.25 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Charlottesville leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $35,190. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 239th of 257 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,630 | −21.9% |
| 25th | $28,250 | −20.1% |
| Median (50th) | $31,980 | −9.6% |
| 75th | $35,690 | +0.9% |
| 90th | $46,070 | +30.3% |
| Mean | $34,010 | −3.8% |
Other metro areas in Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlottesville | $35,190 | 370 | |
| 2 | Richmond | $33,710 | 1,540 | |
| 3 | Virginia Beach | $30,870 | 1,990 | |
| 4 | Winchester | $30,470 | 100 | |
| 5 | Roanoke | $30,060 | 350 | |
| 6 | Staunton | $28,940 | 120 | |
| 7 | Lynchburg | $28,800 | 220 | |
| 8 | Blacksburg | $28,160 | 160 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Harrisonburg run 5.1% below the national average, so the median of $31,980 goes as far as $33,699 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 4.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$31,980as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$33,699US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $31,980 a year, 9.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $27,630 to $46,070 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 140 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Charlottesville, at $35,190.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Animal Caretakers in Harrisonburg, VA?
The median annual wage is $31,980, or $15.38 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 Harrisonburg, VA is 9.6% 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 Harrisonburg, VA earns more than $46,070 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $27,630 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 Charlottesville, at $35,190 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 140 jobs in this occupation in Harrisonburg, VA. 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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