What are the main factors that influence an Animal Welfare Counselor's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Animal Welfare Counselor?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Animal Welfare Counselor roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

How does experience change An Animal Welfare Counselor's salary?

An Animal Welfare Counselor's salary grows with experience: starting around $39,925 for beginners, reaching about $51,717 at mid-level, and approach $79,079 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Animal Welfare Counselor?

Animal Welfare Counselor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Animal Welfare Counselor roles are District of Columbia $50,058, California $49,869, Massachusetts $49,204. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Animal Welfare Counselor roles make?

Salaries for Animal Welfare Counselor level roles vary by specialization: Laboratory Animal Technician II: $49,700; Animal Technician, Sr.: $49,691; Animal Care Counselor: $49,115; Animal Welfare Officer: $43,990; Animal Control Officer: $43,960.

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary in South Dakota

How much does an Animal Welfare Counselor make in South Dakota? As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Animal Welfare Counselor in South Dakota is $41,088 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, an Animal Welfare Counselor's salary can vary significantly. Here's a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $51,757
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $37,084 to $46,673
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $33,439

10% $33,439

50% (Median) $41,088

90% $51,757

Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,673	$3,889	$898	$22
Average	$41,088	$3,424	$790	$20
25th Percentile	$37,084	$3,090	$713	$18

Salary Factors Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Animal Care Technician

University of Pittsburgh – OAKLAND, PA

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Key Factors That Influence Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries

An Animal Welfare Counselor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Animal Welfare Counselor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $39,925
Early Career (1-2 years): $44,919
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $51,717
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $68,868
Expert (over 8 years): $79,079

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Animal Welfare Counselor	less than 1 year	$39,925
Sales Assistant II	1-2 years	$44,919
Sales Assistant III	2-4 years	$51,717
Sales Assistant Team Leader	5-8 years	$68,868
Sales Support Supervisor	over 8 years	$79,079

How Do Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Animal Welfare Counselors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $50,058.
California: $49,869.
Massachusetts: $49,204.

District of Columbia $50,058 California $49,869 Massachusetts $49,204 Washington $49,023 New Jersey $49,005 Alaska $48,942 Connecticut $48,318 New York $48,065

Hawaii $47,255 Rhode Island $46,875 Maryland $46,618 Minnesota $46,265 Colorado $46,129 Illinois $46,084 Oregon $45,912 Delaware $45,786

New Hampshire $45,706 Virginia $45,528 Pennsylvania $45,008 Nevada $44,746 North Dakota $44,660 Michigan $44,524 Wisconsin $44,475 Vermont $44,375

Texas $44,099 Maine $44,081 Arizona $44,054 Ohio $44,023 Georgia $43,607 Indiana $43,399 Wyoming $43,358 Utah $43,295

Iowa $43,268 Kansas $43,051 Louisiana $42,987 North Carolina $42,965 Missouri $42,956 Florida $42,779 Montana $42,684 Nebraska $42,594

Kentucky $42,544 South Carolina $42,363 Tennessee $42,250 Idaho $42,205 New Mexico $41,875 Oklahoma $41,803 Alabama $41,536 South Dakota $41,088

Arkansas $40,844 West Virginia $40,713 Mississippi $40,320

Top Paying Cities for Animal Welfare Counselor

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

Alcester: $41,517
Aurora: $41,737
Baltic: $41,288

Alcester, SD $41,517

Aurora, SD $41,737

Baltic, SD $41,288

Beresford, SD $41,410

Brandon, SD $41,204

Brookings, SD $41,814

Burbank, SD $41,369

Canistota, SD $41,430

Canton, SD $41,313

Centerville, SD $41,413

Chancellor, SD $41,308

Chester, SD $41,410

Colman, SD $41,545

Colton, SD $41,372

Crooks, SD $41,266

Davis, SD $41,362

Dell Rapids, SD $41,364

Egan, SD $41,475

Elk Point, SD $41,238

Elkton, SD $41,763

Fairview, SD $41,373

Flandreau, SD $41,610

Freeman, SD $41,564

Garretson, SD $41,296

Gayville, SD $41,634

Harrisburg, SD $41,230

Hartford, SD $41,293

Hudson, SD $41,406

Humboldt, SD $41,352

Hurley, SD $41,414

Irene, SD $41,531

Jefferson, SD $41,084

Lennox, SD $41,308

Lesterville, SD $41,603

Lyons, SD $41,304

Madison, SD $41,627

Marion, SD $41,442

Menno, SD $41,582

Mission Hill, SD $41,613

Monroe, SD $41,398

Belle Fourche, SD $41,558

Black Hawk, SD $40,286

Box Elder, SD $40,338

Buffalo, SD $41,482

Buffalo Gap, SD $41,156

Camp Crook, SD $41,522

Caputa, SD $40,533

Custer, SD $41,068

Deadwood, SD $40,814

Edgemont, SD $41,461

Enning, SD $41,138

Fairburn, SD $40,688

Fort Meade, SD $40,684

Hermosa, SD $40,525

Hill City, SD $40,799

Hot Springs, SD $41,430

Howes, SD $41,229

Interior, SD $41,295

Keystone, SD $40,485

Kyle, SD $41,383

Lead, SD $41,188

Ludlow, SD $41,645

Manderson, SD $41,450

Mud Butte, SD $41,254

Nemo, SD $40,542

Newell, SD $41,334

New Underwood, SD $40,535

Nisland, SD $41,426

Oelrichs, SD $41,344

Oglala, SD $41,416

Oral, SD $41,306

Owanka, SD $40,734

Piedmont, SD $40,316

Pine Ridge, SD $41,493

Porcupine, SD $41,369

Pringle, SD $41,195

Quinn, SD $41,235

Redig, SD $41,187

Saint Onge, SD $41,304

Scenic, SD $41,011

Smithwick, SD $41,358

Spearfish, SD $41,490

Sturgis, SD $40,554

Union Center, SD $41,165

Vale, SD $41,035

Wall, SD $41,176

Wasta, SD $40,967

White Owl, SD $41,248

Whitewood, SD $41,130

Wounded Knee, SD $41,452

Leola, SD $41,698

Long Lake, SD $41,762

Mansfield, SD $41,673

Mellette, SD $41,712

Northville, SD $41,668

Onaka, SD $41,506

Orient, SD $41,569

Pierpont, SD $41,710

Redfield, SD $41,777

Rockham, SD $41,618

Roscoe, SD $41,544

Selby, SD $41,472

Seneca, SD $41,479

Stratford, SD $41,715

Tolstoy, SD $41,482

Tulare, SD $41,719

Turton, SD $41,721

Warner, SD $41,763

Westport, SD $41,706

Pierre, SD $38,091

Agar, SD $39,082

Belvidere, SD $41,234

Blunt, SD $38,091

Burke, SD $41,557

Colome, SD $41,507

Dallas, SD $41,494

Draper, SD $40,213

Fort Pierre, SD $38,203

Gregory, SD $41,538

Hamill, SD $41,435

Harrold, SD $38,313

Hayes, SD $40,810

Herrick, SD $41,534

Holabird, SD $39,177

Ideal, SD $41,424

Kadoka, SD $41,282

Kennebec, SD $40,819

Long Valley, SD $41,280

Lower Brule, SD $40,766

Martin, SD $41,380

Midland, SD $41,146

Milesville, SD $41,173

Mission, SD $41,468

Murdo, SD $40,892

Norris, SD $41,344

Okaton, SD $41,240

Okreek, SD $41,445

Onida, SD $38,465

Parmelee, SD $41,418

Philip, SD $41,233

Presho, SD $40,514

Reliance, SD $41,459

Rosebud, SD $41,513

Saint Charles, SD $41,579

Saint Francis, SD $41,434

Tuthill, SD $41,330

Vivian, SD $40,338

Wanblee, SD $41,357

White River, SD $41,339

Winner, SD $41,468

Witten, SD $41,394

Wood, SD $41,334

Mobridge, SD $41,481

Bison, SD $41,377

Bullhead, SD $41,694

Cherry Creek, SD $41,270

Dupree, SD $41,279

Eagle Butte, SD $41,322

Faith, SD $41,267

Glencross, SD $41,302

Glenham, SD $41,496

Herreid, SD $41,654

Isabel, SD $41,294

Keldron, SD $41,493

Lantry, SD $41,342

Lemmon, SD $41,648

Little Eagle, SD $41,688

Lodgepole, SD $41,536

Mc Intosh, SD $41,555

Mc Laughlin, SD $41,519

Meadow, SD $41,282

Morristown, SD $41,598

Mound City, SD $41,580

Pollock, SD $41,736

Prairie City, SD $41,431

Ralph, SD $41,566

Reva, SD $41,433

Ridgeview, SD $41,342

Timber Lake, SD $41,363

Trail City, SD $41,350

Wakpala, SD $41,520

Walker, SD $41,586

Watauga, SD $41,492

Whitehorse, SD $41,386

Rapid City, SD $40,279

Ellsworth Afb, SD $40,279

Allen, SD $41,379

Batesland, SD $41,396

Montrose, SD $41,431

North Sioux City, SD $41,019

Nunda, SD $41,607

Oldham, SD $41,698

Olivet, SD $41,601

Parker, SD $41,375

Ramona, SD $41,625

Renner, SD $41,240

Rowena, SD $41,212

Rutland, SD $41,570

Salem, SD $41,573

Scotland, SD $41,666

Sinai, SD $41,830

Springfield, SD $41,715

Tabor, SD $41,688

Tea, SD $41,262

Trent, SD $41,419

Tyndall, SD $41,676

Utica, SD $41,604

Valley Springs, SD $41,237

Vermillion, SD $41,613

Viborg, SD $41,520

Volga, SD $41,733

Volin, SD $41,566

Wakonda, SD $41,523

Wentworth, SD $41,555

Winfred, SD $41,575

Worthing, SD $41,302

Yankton, SD $41,772

Sioux Falls, SD $41,201

Vienna, SD $41,808

Wallace, SD $41,782

Waubay, SD $41,763

Webster, SD $41,773

White, SD $41,838

Willow Lake, SD $41,855

Wilmot, SD $41,804

Mitchell, SD $41,810

Alexandria, SD $41,657

Alpena, SD $41,727

Armour, SD $41,641

Artesian, SD $41,721

Avon, SD $41,653

Bonesteel, SD $41,572

Bridgewater, SD $41,545

Canova, SD $41,601

Carpenter, SD $41,824

Carthage, SD $41,730

Cavour, SD $41,786

Chamberlain, SD $41,597

Corsica, SD $41,649

Dante, SD $41,628

Delmont, SD $41,630

Dimock, SD $41,676

Emery, SD $41,614

Ethan, SD $41,698

Fairfax, SD $41,579

Fedora, SD $41,685

Fort Thompson, SD $41,109

Fulton, SD $41,690

Gann Valley, SD $41,511

Geddes, SD $41,589

Harrison, SD $41,620

Highmore, SD $40,819

Stephan, SD $41,000

Hitchcock, SD $41,752

Howard, SD $41,706

Huron, SD $41,895

Iroquois, SD $41,795

Kaylor, SD $41,721

Kimball, SD $41,595

Lake Andes, SD $41,656

Lane, SD $41,814

Letcher, SD $41,702

Marty, SD $41,789

Miller, SD $41,634

Mount Vernon, SD $41,675

New Holland, SD $41,737

Oacoma, SD $41,560

Parkston, SD $41,693

Pickstown, SD $41,720

Plankinton, SD $41,668

Platte, SD $41,597

Pukwana, SD $41,568

Ree Heights, SD $41,360

Saint Lawrence, SD $41,636

Spencer, SD $41,596

Stickney, SD $41,641

Tripp, SD $41,653

Virgil, SD $41,692

Wagner, SD $41,661

Wessington, SD $41,661

Wessington Springs, SD $41,654

White Lake, SD $41,613

Wolsey, SD $41,743

Woonsocket, SD $41,724

Yale, SD $41,819

Aberdeen, SD $41,824

Akaska, SD $41,450

Amherst, SD $41,759

Andover, SD $41,699

Ashton, SD $41,692

Barnard, SD $41,749

Bath, SD $41,736

Bowdle, SD $41,528

Brentford, SD $41,767

Britton, SD $41,877

Claremont, SD $41,724

Columbia, SD $41,674

Conde, SD $41,719

Cresbard, SD $41,616

Doland, SD $41,808

Eureka, SD $41,675

Faulkton, SD $41,612

Ferney, SD $41,871

Frankfort, SD $41,805

Frederick, SD $41,760

Gettysburg, SD $41,221

Groton, SD $41,740

Hecla, SD $41,819

Hosmer, SD $41,609

Houghton, SD $41,643

Hoven, SD $41,495

Ipswich, SD $41,652

Java, SD $41,469

Langford, SD $41,703

Lebanon, SD $41,290

Watertown, SD $41,895

Arlington, SD $41,783

Astoria, SD $41,850

Badger, SD $41,857

Big Stone City, SD $41,917

Bradley, SD $41,769

Brandt, SD $41,822

Bristol, SD $41,736

Bruce, SD $41,776

Bryant, SD $41,836

Castlewood, SD $41,810

Claire City, SD $41,874

Clark, SD $41,841

Clear Lake, SD $41,825

Corona, SD $41,875

De Smet, SD $41,819

Eden, SD $41,745

Erwin, SD $41,793

Estelline, SD $41,804

Florence, SD $41,790

Garden City, SD $41,797

Gary, SD $41,852

Goodwin, SD $41,772

Grenville, SD $41,734

Hayti, SD $41,826

Hazel, SD $41,807

Henry, SD $41,808

Kranzburg, SD $41,964

Labolt, SD $41,777

Lake City, SD $41,815

Lake Norden, SD $41,846

Lake Preston, SD $41,806

Marvin, SD $41,732

Milbank, SD $41,910

New Effington, SD $41,963

Ortley, SD $41,741

Peever, SD $41,797

Raymond, SD $41,818

Revillo, SD $41,802

Rosholt, SD $41,953

Roslyn, SD $41,726

Sisseton, SD $41,822

South Shore, SD $41,744

Stockholm, SD $41,745

Strandburg, SD $41,740

Summit, SD $41,743

Toronto, SD $41,805

Twin Brooks, SD $41,729

Veblen, SD $41,895

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Animal Welfare Counselor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Animal Welfare Counselor positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Animal Welfare Counselor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Animal Welfare Counselor

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$49,306	$24.0	20%
Financial Services	$49,306	$24.0	20%
Pharmaceuticals	$49,306	$24.0	20%
Software & Networking	$49,306	$24.0	20%
Telecom	$49,306	$24.0	20%

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Animal Welfare Counselor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$37,084

Average $41,088/year

$46,673

$3,090

Average $3,424/month

$3,889

$713

Average $790/week

$898

$18

Average $20/hour

$22

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,673	$3,889	$898	$22
Average	$41,088	$3,424	$790	$20
25th Percentile	$37,084	$3,090	$713	$18

Find Your Next Animal Welfare Counselor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Animal Welfare Counselor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Animal Welfare Counselor Salary in South Dakota

Check out Animal Welfare Counselor Job Openings in South Dakota

Key Factors That Influence Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries?

How Do Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Animal Welfare Counselor

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for an Animal Welfare Counselor

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Find Your Next Animal Welfare Counselor Job

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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Animal Welfare Counselor Salary in South Dakota

Check out Animal Welfare Counselor Job Openings in South Dakota

Key Factors That Influence Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries?

How Do Animal Welfare Counselor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Animal Welfare Counselor

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

The top paying industries for an Animal Welfare Counselor

Animal Welfare Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Salaries of jobs related to Animal Welfare Counselor

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