U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAttend 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29,570 | 2.8 % | $11.56 | $24,040 | 0.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.03 | $8.86 | $10.61 | $13.56 | $17.21 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $16,690 | $18,430 | $22,060 | $28,210 | $35,790 |
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 | 11,780 | 42.87 | $11.63 | $24,190 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 6,700 | 8.97 | $10.10 | $21,000 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 1,990 | 0.41 | $12.91 | $26,850 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 920 | 0.08 | $10.65 | $22,150 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 720 | 0.23 | $11.57 | $24,070 |
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 | 11,780 | 42.87 | $11.63 | $24,190 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | 6,700 | 8.97 | $10.10 | $21,000 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | 260 | 0.49 | $12.99 | $27,020 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | 210 | 0.44 | $13.01 | $27,060 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 1,990 | 0.41 | $12.91 | $26,850 |
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) | 290 | 0.01 | $21.47 | $44,650 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | (8) | (8) | $18.37 | $38,200 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 710 | 0.03 | $16.19 | $33,670 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 190 | (7) | $14.73 | $30,630 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 30 | (7) | $13.87 | $28,840 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,460 | 0.17 | 0.76 | $12.29 | $25,560 |
| Kentucky | 2,160 | 1.22 | 5.39 | $10.30 | $21,420 |
| Texas | 2,140 | 0.20 | 0.89 | $11.08 | $23,040 |
| Missouri | 1,760 | 0.67 | 2.97 | $10.68 | $22,200 |
| Virginia | 1,290 | 0.36 | 1.58 | $11.44 | $23,790 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 2,160 | 1.22 | 5.39 | $10.30 | $21,420 |
| Montana | 390 | 0.89 | 3.94 | $12.17 | $25,320 |
| Delaware | 310 | 0.77 | 3.40 | $14.99 | $31,170 |
| Oklahoma | 1,120 | 0.73 | 3.21 | $9.71 | $20,210 |
| Nebraska | 670 | 0.73 | 3.23 | $10.94 | $22,750 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 60 | 0.05 | 0.23 | $16.39 | $34,080 |
| Wyoming | 130 | 0.46 | 2.02 | $15.73 | $32,720 |
| Delaware | 310 | 0.77 | 3.40 | $14.99 | $31,170 |
| South Carolina | 430 | 0.24 | 1.05 | $14.79 | $30,760 |
| Utah | 180 | 0.15 | 0.67 | $14.18 | $29,490 |
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 | 1,420 | 5.80 | 25.54 | $10.24 | $21,300 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 770 | 0.61 | 2.67 | $10.25 | $21,310 |
| Ocala, FL | 400 | 4.53 | 19.95 | $10.00 | $20,800 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 350 | 0.28 | 1.22 | $11.65 | $24,230 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 310 | 0.17 | 0.76 | $12.65 | $26,310 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 290 | 0.12 | 0.54 | $16.49 | $34,310 |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 270 | 0.08 | 0.33 | $12.68 | $26,380 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 270 | 4.67 | 20.60 | (8) | (8) |
| Lancaster, PA | 270 | 1.21 | 5.35 | $13.19 | $27,430 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 270 | 0.07 | 0.30 | $13.47 | $28,020 |
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 | 1,420 | 5.80 | 25.54 | $10.24 | $21,300 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 270 | 4.67 | 20.60 | (8) | (8) |
| Ocala, FL | 400 | 4.53 | 19.95 | $10.00 | $20,800 |
| Dothan, AL | 200 | 3.52 | 15.53 | $11.55 | $24,020 |
| Manhattan, KS | 100 | 2.02 | 8.92 | $9.90 | $20,590 |
| Lancaster, PA | 270 | 1.21 | 5.35 | $13.19 | $27,430 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 210 | 1.06 | 4.66 | $11.73 | $24,400 |
| Bend, OR | 60 | 1.00 | 4.41 | $11.56 | $24,050 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 130 | 0.94 | 4.12 | $13.60 | $28,290 |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 30 | 0.89 | 3.94 | $9.19 | $19,110 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | (8) | (8) | (8) | $21.46 | $44,640 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | 30 | 0.25 | 1.12 | $16.70 | $34,740 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 290 | 0.12 | 0.54 | $16.49 | $34,310 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | (8) | (8) | (8) | $15.96 | $33,200 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 110 | 0.08 | 0.35 | $15.88 | $33,030 |
| Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division | 30 | 0.13 | 0.58 | $15.48 | $32,210 |
| Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY | (8) | (8) | (8) | $15.48 | $32,190 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 60 | 0.18 | 0.80 | $15.44 | $32,110 |
| Billings, MT | 40 | 0.52 | 2.28 | $15.14 | $31,500 |
| Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division | 80 | 0.15 | 0.67 | $14.95 | $31,100 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 680 | 1.78 | 7.86 | $9.56 | $19,880 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 390 | 1.94 | 8.54 | $13.23 | $27,520 |
| Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 2.54 | 11.19 | $13.04 | $27,120 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 310 | 2.47 | 10.87 | $10.16 | $21,130 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 290 | 1.33 | 5.85 | $11.23 | $23,350 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 3.30 | 14.55 | $10.43 | $21,700 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | 210 | 3.19 | 14.07 | $11.35 | $23,610 |
| Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 2.88 | 12.69 | $12.67 | $26,350 |
| Southcentral Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 190 | 2.68 | 11.82 | $8.95 | $18,620 |
| Central Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 210 | 2.67 | 11.77 | $10.67 | $22,180 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.07 | $33,430 |
| Southwestern Washington nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 1.29 | 5.68 | $15.87 | $33,000 |
| Western Central Nevada nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 1.23 | 5.40 | $15.58 | $32,400 |
| Other Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.14 | 0.62 | $15.40 | $32,020 |
| Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.51 | 2.24 | $14.89 | $30,960 |
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 mean 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 2012 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2013
