Salary comparison
Animal Caretakers: Ames vs El Centro
El Centro, CA pays about 5.6% more for animal caretakers on paper — $40,880 vs $38,700. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, El Centro comes out ahead by $2,180 a year in real buying power.
Ames, IA
$38,700
$31,340
$47,190
$18.61
100
$38,700/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
El Centro, CA
$40,880
$34,900
$43,620
$19.65
100
$40,880/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $2,180 a year (5.6%) in favor of El Centro. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Ames runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; El Centro sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, El Centro is the better deal by $2,180 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Ames to El Centro for this role, the raise needs to beat 5.6% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do animal caretakers earn more, Ames or El Centro?
El Centro pays $40,880 on median — about 5.6% more than Ames ($38,700). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
El Centro. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, El Centro gives you roughly$40,880 of real buying power versus $38,700 in the other city.