Kennel Attendant Salary & Pay DataShared BLS figures: animal caretakers (includes groomers)
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Broader BLS occupation: SOC 39-2021 Animal Caretakers
BLS counts kennel attendants inside animal caretakers (39-2021), which also includes groomers, daycare staff, walkers and sitters; there is no kennel-only figure.
The figure on this page is the shared figure for animal caretakers (includes groomers, SOC 39-2021), all industries: $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour) in May 2025.
It is not kennel attendant pay, and BLS cannot show how kennel attendants are paid compared with the rest of the group.
BLS publishes one series for SOC 39-2021, so the dog groomer, dog bather, dog daycare attendant, dog walker, pet sitter, animal care attendant salary pages show the same number.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only and leaves out the self-employed, overtime pay and most bonuses. BLS publishes no kennel attendant-only wage.
What the figure means for kennel attendants
BLS describes kennel attendants as animal care workers who care for pets, often overnight, in place of their owners: cleaning cages and dog runs and feeding, exercising and playing with the animals.
O*NET lists Kennel Attendant and Kennel Technician among the reported job titles for animal caretakers.
BLS notes that part-time work is common, schedules can include evenings, weekends and holidays, and 24-hour facilities such as kennels may need round-the-clock care.
Pay by employer
National figures for animal caretakers (includes groomers, SOC 39-2021): every employer, then other personal services, veterinary services and other miscellaneous retailers, BLS OEWS May 2025.
BLS publishes no figure for kennel attendants alone; these rows are for the whole occupation, the broader occupation that includes this role.
BLS publishes no wage figures for pet care services (NAICS 812910) or pet and pet supplies stores (459910) on their own, so no salon-only or pet-store-only figure exists.
Other personal services (812900) contains pet care services such as grooming, boarding and daycare, but also unrelated businesses such as parking lots and photofinishing.
Other miscellaneous retailers (459900) includes pet stores along with other retailers.
BLS industry estimates are national only.
| Employer | Median | Mean | Hourly median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All industries (every employer) | $35,360 | $37,300 | $17.00 | 266,910 |
| Other personal services (NAICS 812900, includes pet care services) | $35,190 | $36,600 | $16.92 | 146,190 |
| Veterinary services (NAICS 541940) | $32,150 | $33,610 | $15.46 | 33,720 |
| Other miscellaneous retailers (NAICS 459900, includes pet stores) | $35,280 | $39,270 | $16.96 | 32,480 |
All salary pages: pet care salaries by role.