Animal Caretaking

What the Numbers Say About Animal Caretaking

Federal agencies employ 343 people in the Animal Caretaking occupation (OPM code 5048), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -9.7% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.

Average tenure in Animal Caretaking runs 7.4 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce. Pay averages $54,878 per year, 50.1% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 2.4% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce.

Animal Caretaking sits inside the Plant and Animal Work Family family (code 50), which contains 6 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Animal Caretaking postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Within the Plant and Animal Work Family family, Animal Caretaking is one of the top 6 occupations by headcount (#2), accounting for 22.4% of the family's combined 1,533 employees.