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Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep, and collect eggs in hatcheries.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35,670 | 2.6 % | $12.90 | $26,840 | 0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.63 | $9.75 | $11.79 | $14.99 | $18.86 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $17,940 | $20,270 | $24,520 | $31,190 | $39,230 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Animal Production | 13,540 | 44.99 | $13.09 | $27,230 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 7,360 | 9.85 | $11.53 | $23,980 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 1,680 | 0.19 | $11.32 | $23,540 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 1,560 | 0.47 | $13.01 | $27,060 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 1,400 | 0.29 | $13.52 | $28,130 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Animal Production | 13,540 | 44.99 | $13.09 | $27,230 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 7,360 | 9.85 | $11.53 | $23,980 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | 630 | 1.17 | $12.68 | $26,370 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 1,560 | 0.47 | $13.01 | $27,060 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 110 | 0.34 | $13.70 | $28,500 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 300 | 0.01 | $22.04 | $45,840 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | 150 | 0.04 | $18.64 | $38,770 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 840 | 0.04 | $17.79 | $37,000 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 60 | (7) | $16.21 | $33,720 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | (8) | (8) | $16.03 | $33,350 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,860 | 0.41 | 1.63 | $11.69 | $24,310 |
| California | 2,630 | 0.17 | 0.65 | $14.87 | $30,940 |
| Kentucky | 1,950 | 1.04 | 4.11 | $12.75 | $26,510 |
| Missouri | 1,530 | 0.56 | 2.19 | $12.22 | $25,420 |
| Iowa | 1,210 | 0.79 | 3.10 | $13.84 | $28,780 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 810 | 1.78 | 7.02 | $13.08 | $27,210 |
| Nebraska | 1,120 | 1.16 | 4.55 | $13.72 | $28,540 |
| Kentucky | 1,950 | 1.04 | 4.11 | $12.75 | $26,510 |
| Idaho | 690 | 1.04 | 4.09 | $13.39 | $27,850 |
| Wyoming | 240 | 0.87 | 3.42 | $14.13 | $29,390 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 120 | 0.07 | 0.28 | $17.59 | $36,590 |
| Alaska | 50 | 0.15 | 0.60 | $17.58 | $36,560 |
| Nevada | 130 | 0.10 | 0.40 | $16.59 | $34,520 |
| Hawaii | 90 | 0.14 | 0.54 | $16.49 | $34,300 |
| Arizona | 180 | 0.07 | 0.27 | $15.05 | $31,310 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1,300 | 4.82 | 18.97 | $12.67 | $26,340 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 830 | 0.28 | 1.11 | $11.83 | $24,610 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 520 | 0.21 | 0.85 | $11.33 | $23,560 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 470 | 0.19 | 0.74 | $17.09 | $35,550 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 430 | 0.32 | 1.26 | $12.89 | $26,800 |
| Ocala, FL | 420 | 4.29 | 16.89 | $11.35 | $23,610 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 380 | 0.63 | 2.48 | $12.40 | $25,790 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 330 | 0.08 | 0.31 | $15.80 | $32,870 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 300 | 0.08 | 0.33 | $10.81 | $22,480 |
| Lancaster, PA | 270 | 1.17 | 4.61 | $14.06 | $29,250 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1,300 | 4.82 | 18.97 | $12.67 | $26,340 |
| Ocala, FL | 420 | 4.29 | 16.89 | $11.35 | $23,610 |
| Billings, MT | 240 | 2.78 | 10.95 | $13.30 | $27,660 |
| Dothan, AL | 120 | 2.17 | 8.55 | $12.24 | $25,460 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 120 | 1.94 | 7.65 | $11.98 | $24,910 |
| Waco, TX | 160 | 1.40 | 5.52 | $12.49 | $25,980 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 50 | 1.35 | 5.32 | $11.32 | $23,550 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 140 | 1.30 | 5.10 | $15.26 | $31,740 |
| San Angelo, TX | 60 | 1.29 | 5.06 | $11.70 | $24,330 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 130 | 1.20 | 4.71 | $9.53 | $19,810 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | 30 | 0.58 | 2.29 | $21.64 | $45,010 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | (8) | (8) | (8) | $20.51 | $42,660 |
| Syracuse, NY | 70 | 0.23 | 0.91 | $19.76 | $41,100 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 80 | 0.14 | 0.55 | $18.77 | $39,040 |
| San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | (8) | (8) | (8) | $18.64 | $38,760 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 90 | 0.37 | 1.47 | $17.85 | $37,130 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 50 | 0.17 | 0.66 | $17.36 | $36,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 470 | 0.19 | 0.74 | $17.09 | $35,550 |
| San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division | 170 | 0.16 | 0.61 | $17.06 | $35,480 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 60 | 0.24 | 0.93 | $16.99 | $35,330 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 570 | 2.93 | 11.52 | $12.51 | $26,020 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 480 | 3.47 | 13.67 | $14.42 | $29,990 |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 390 | 2.67 | 10.49 | $10.22 | $21,260 |
| North Texas nonmetropolitan area | 350 | 1.31 | 5.16 | $12.25 | $25,480 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 350 | 3.88 | 15.26 | $12.02 | $25,000 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 250 | 6.15 | 24.21 | $14.21 | $29,560 |
| Northwest Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 250 | 4.19 | 16.50 | $11.20 | $23,300 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 350 | 3.88 | 15.26 | $12.02 | $25,000 |
| South Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 290 | 3.81 | 14.99 | $11.26 | $23,410 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | 240 | 3.64 | 14.34 | $12.28 | $25,540 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.91 | 3.58 | $18.67 | $38,830 |
| North Nevada nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $18.49 | $38,460 |
| Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.23 | 0.90 | $17.66 | $36,730 |
| Southwest Washington nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.94 | 3.69 | $17.49 | $36,390 |
| South Nevada nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.77 | $34,870 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017