39 Series · SOC 39-2011

Animal Trainers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$39,990
Median / year
+3.2%
2024→2025
$75,490
Top 10% earn
+5.1%
Growth '24–'34
18,770
Estimated US jobs

Animal Trainers earn a median of $39,990 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $39,990, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $29,600 (10th percentile) to $75,490 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 18,770 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Virginia ($62,960).

39 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Animal Trainers earn a median of $39,990, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 12% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #13 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% by 2034.

$39,990
Median annual wage
Top 88%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#13 of 32
in Personal Care and Service
2.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Virginia at $62,960. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Animal Trainers moved from $30,430 in May 2019 to $39,990 in May 2025 (+31.4%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Animal Trainers sits +7.0 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Animal Trainers (SOC 39-2011) has a national median of $39,990 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $29,600 to $75,490, and the published mean is $47,020. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 18,770 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 47 state or territory areas and 98 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $38,750 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $39,990 in May 2025, a rise of $1,240 (+3.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 7,100 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Personal Care and Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Virginia pays the highest state median at $62,960, which is +57% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $99,190. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 18,770 jobs Median $39,990/yr

Median Salary

$39,990

per year

Median Hourly

$19.22/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$47,020

average

Employment

18,770

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Animal Trainers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$39,990 Bottom 12% higher than 12% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 (this entry) 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$39,990 · 12th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 39-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Animal Trainers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 39-series occupations with growth data, Animal Trainers sits on the faster-growing side at +5.1% growth and $39,990 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Childcare Workers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.9% · Median annual wage: $34980Amusement and Recrea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $32150Recreation Workers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $36560Exercise Trainers an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.9% · Median annual wage: $47160Hairdressers, Hairst… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $35790Animal Caretakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $35360Manicurists and Pedi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $35760Ushers, Lobby Attend… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $32910First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.7% · Median annual wage: $48590First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.3% · Median annual wage: $48560Residential Advisors - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $42240Gambling Dealers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.6% · Median annual wage: $34320Skincare Specialists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.7% · Median annual wage: $45330Personal Care and Se… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $41600Tour and Travel Guides - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.1% · Median annual wage: $38120Concierges - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.3% · Median annual wage: $38950Funeral Attendants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $35680Baggage Porters and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $37080First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2% · Median annual wage: $63820Morticians, Undertak… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $55010Animal Trainers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $39990Locker Room, Coatroo… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $36300Barbers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $38210Gambling Service Wor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.6% · Median annual wage: $36310
Among 24 39-series occupations with growth data, Animal Trainers sits on the faster-growing side at +5.1% growth and $39,990 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Childcare Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.9%, Median annual wage $34980
  • Amusement and Recrea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $32150
  • Recreation Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $36560
  • Exercise Trainers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.9%, Median annual wage $47160
  • Hairdressers, Hairst…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $35790
  • Animal Caretakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $35360
  • Manicurists and Pedi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $35760
  • Ushers, Lobby Attend…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $32910
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $48590
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.3%, Median annual wage $48560
  • Residential Advisors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $42240
  • Gambling Dealers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.6%, Median annual wage $34320
  • Skincare Specialists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $45330
  • Personal Care and Se…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $41600
  • Tour and Travel Guides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.1%, Median annual wage $38120
  • Concierges: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $38950
  • Funeral Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $35680
  • Baggage Porters and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $37080
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $63820
  • Morticians, Undertak…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $55010
  • Animal Trainers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $39990
  • Locker Room, Coatroo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $36300
  • Barbers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $38210
  • Gambling Service Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.6%, Median annual wage $36310

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+5.1%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

7,100

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+2,400

47,300 (2024) → 49,800 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Personal Care and Service Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

2/100

Danger Index

8.8/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Animal Trainers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Instructing 3.8
Speaking 3.5
Learning Strategies 3.5
Critical Thinking 3.4
Active Learning 3.3
Active Listening 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.0
Coordination 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.0
Education and Training 3.6
Psychology 3.2
Administration and Management 3.1
English Language 3.1
Sales and Marketing 2.8
Administrative 2.7
Personnel and Human Resources 2.7
Biology 2.6
Public Safety and Security 2.5

Key Tasks

  • Train horses or other equines for riding, harness, show, racing, or other work, using knowledge of breed characteristics, training methods, performance standards, and the peculiarities of each animal.
  • Cue or signal animals during performances.
  • Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
  • Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.
  • Use oral, spur, rein, or hand commands to condition horses to carry riders or to pull horse-drawn equipment.
  • Retrain horses to break bad habits, such as kicking, bolting, or resisting bridling or grooming.
  • Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
  • Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
  • Train dogs in human assistance or property protection duties.
  • Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$29,600
25th$33,740
Median$39,990
75th$53,580
90th$75,490

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$14.23
25th$16.22
Median$19.22
75th$25.76
90th$36.29

Animal Trainers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$25,000$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $26,610National median - 2016: $27,690National median - 2017: $28,880National median - 2018: $29,290National median - 2019: $30,430National median - 2020: $31,520National median - 2021: $31,280National median - 2022: $35,620National median - 2023: $38,810National median - 2024: $38,750National median - 2025: $39,990$39,990
National median annual wage for Animal Trainers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $26,610
2016 $27,690
2017 $28,880
2018 $29,290
2019 $30,430
2020 $31,520
2021 $31,280
2022 $35,620
2023 $38,810
2024 $38,750
2025 $39,990

2015 median

$26,610

2025 median

$39,990

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$9,560 (+31.4%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.7%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Animal Trainers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $26,610 First banked release 11,720
May 2016 $27,690 +4.1% 13,590
May 2017 $28,880 +4.3% 14,340
May 2018 $29,290 +1.4% 14,830
May 2019 $30,430 Classification break 16,530
May 2020 $31,520 +3.6% 14,880
May 2021 $31,280 -0.8% 15,840
May 2022 $35,620 +13.9% 17,710
May 2023 $38,810 +9.0% 19,240
May 2024 $38,750 -0.2% 20,110
May 2025 $39,990 +3.2% 18,770

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $26,610 in May 2015 to $39,990 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.7% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 16,530 in May 2019 to 18,770 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 47 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Virginia $62,960 +57% above national
2 Alabama $55,700 +39% above national
3 Oregon $55,520 +39% above national
4 California $49,060 +23% above national
5 New York $48,790 +22% above national
6 New Jersey $46,690 +17% above national
7 Washington $46,420 +16% above national
8 Illinois $45,830 +15% above national
9 Connecticut $45,800 +15% above national
10 Indiana $45,270 +13% above national
11 Georgia $45,250 +13% above national
12 Montana $44,680 +12% above national
13 Colorado $44,290 +11% above national
14 Massachusetts $43,580 +9% above national
15 Iowa $43,020 +8% above national
16 Minnesota $41,690 +4% above national
17 Idaho $40,770 +2% above national
18 Maine $40,760 +2% above national
19 Oklahoma $40,310 +1% above national
20 Arkansas $39,400 1% below national
21 North Dakota $38,970 3% below national
22 Pennsylvania $38,920 3% below national
23 Utah $38,580 4% below national
24 District of Columbia $38,200 4% below national
25 South Dakota $38,120 5% below national
26 New Hampshire $38,030 5% below national
27 North Carolina $37,680 6% below national
28 Maryland $37,430 6% below national
29 Wisconsin $37,140 7% below national
30 West Virginia $37,080 7% below national
31 Florida $36,870 8% below national
32 Nevada $36,760 8% below national
33 Texas $36,370 9% below national
34 Tennessee $35,320 12% below national
35 Mississippi $35,130 12% below national
36 Alaska $34,900 13% below national
37 Nebraska $34,900 13% below national
38 New Mexico $34,760 13% below national
39 Kansas $34,720 13% below national
40 Kentucky $34,030 15% below national
41 Missouri $34,010 15% below national
42 Delaware $33,810 15% below national
43 Arizona $33,330 17% below national
44 Louisiana $32,720 18% below national
45 Ohio $32,700 18% below national
46 Michigan $30,820 23% below national
47 South Carolina $29,670 26% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 95 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $99,190 +148% above national
2 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $66,040 +65% above national
3 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $64,430 +61% above national
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $61,490 +54% above national
5 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $59,710 +49% above national
6 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $58,160 +45% above national
7 Colorado Springs, CO $58,090 +45% above national
8 Raleigh-Cary, NC $55,560 +39% above national
9 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $54,810 +37% above national
10 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $51,230 +28% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $50,460 +26% above national
12 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $50,420 +26% above national
13 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $50,260 +26% above national
14 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $50,020 +25% above national
15 Tulsa, OK $49,320 +23% above national
16 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $49,170 +23% above national
17 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $49,150 +23% above national
18 Ocala, FL $48,030 +20% above national
19 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $46,890 +17% above national
20 Richmond, VA $46,820 +17% above national
21 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $46,810 +17% above national
22 Boulder, CO $46,510 +16% above national
23 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $46,020 +15% above national
24 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $44,950 +12% above national
25 Rochester, NY $44,760 +12% above national
26 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $44,170 +10% above national
27 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $44,160 +10% above national
28 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $43,680 +9% above national
29 Fresno, CA $43,620 +9% above national
30 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $43,070 +8% above national
31 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $43,010 +8% above national
32 Boise City, ID $42,870 +7% above national
33 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $42,860 +7% above national
34 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $42,180 +5% above national
35 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $41,830 +5% above national
36 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $41,770 +4% above national
37 Naples-Marco Island, FL $41,300 +3% above national
38 Madison, WI $41,130 +3% above national
39 Portland-South Portland, ME $40,760 +2% above national
40 Bloomington, IN $40,600 +2% above national
41 Bellingham, WA $40,540 +1% above national
42 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $40,520 +1% above national
43 Oklahoma City, OK $39,830 same as national
44 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $39,560 1% below national
45 Lancaster, PA $39,540 1% below national
46 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $39,510 1% below national
47 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $39,450 1% below national
48 Reno, NV $39,000 2% below national
49 Ogden, UT $38,580 4% below national
50 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $38,540 4% below national
51 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $38,420 4% below national
52 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $38,370 4% below national
53 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $37,980 5% below national
54 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $37,720 6% below national
55 Manchester-Nashua, NH $37,700 6% below national
56 Jacksonville, FL $37,290 7% below national
57 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $37,240 7% below national
58 Wilmington, NC $37,080 7% below national
59 Asheville, NC $36,970 8% below national
60 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $36,860 8% below national
61 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $36,390 9% below national
62 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $36,180 10% below national
63 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $36,030 10% below national
64 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $35,990 10% below national
65 Kansas City, MO-KS $35,950 10% below national
66 Pittsburgh, PA $35,940 10% below national
67 Toledo, OH $35,840 10% below national
68 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $35,740 11% below national
69 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $35,680 11% below national
70 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $35,520 11% below national
71 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $35,430 11% below national
72 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $35,320 12% below national
73 Anchorage, AK $34,900 13% below national
74 Omaha, NE-IA $34,900 13% below national
75 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $34,620 13% below national
76 Wichita, KS $34,390 14% below national
77 Lexington-Fayette, KY $34,310 14% below national
78 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $34,300 14% below national
79 Columbus, OH $34,290 14% below national
80 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $34,220 14% below national
81 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $34,030 15% below national
82 St. Louis, MO-IL $34,010 15% below national
83 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $33,340 17% below national
84 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $33,280 17% below national
85 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $33,200 17% below national
86 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $32,760 18% below national
87 El Paso, TX $32,590 19% below national
88 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $32,040 20% below national
89 Cleveland, OH $31,620 21% below national
90 Tucson, AZ $31,410 21% below national
91 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $30,940 23% below national
92 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $30,920 23% below national
93 Knoxville, TN $30,530 24% below national
94 Columbia, SC $29,670 26% below national
95 Ann Arbor, MI $28,970 28% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 39 (Personal Care and Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 31 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Personal Care and Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($39,990 here) and reported employment (18,770 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Animal Trainers make?
The median annual salary for Animal Trainers is $39,990 ($19.22/hour). The salary range spans from $29,600 at the 10th percentile to $75,490 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Animal Trainers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $39,990, Animal Trainers pay is higher than 12% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Animal Trainers the most?
Virginia pays the highest median salary for Animal Trainers at $62,960/year, which is +57% above the national median.
What education do Animal Trainers need?
BLS assigns Animal Trainers to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Animal Trainers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Animal Trainers in this release. WageDex shows the Personal Care and Service Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Animal Trainers a good career?
Employment for Animal Trainers is projected to grow 5.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 7,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Animal Trainers pay vary by state?
Animal Trainers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Virginia at $62,960/year, while South Carolina pays the least at $29,670/year. BLS data covers 47 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Animal Trainers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $99,190/year. BLS reports a median for 95 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Animal Trainers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $53,580/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Virginia leads at $62,960/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.