Animal Trainer Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of animal trainers to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035 (about 2,000 more jobs), with about 6,500 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $39,990 a year ranks 728th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.2%
- Openings a year
- 6,500
- Median pay
- $39,990
- Pay rank
- 728th of 825
Is employment of animal trainers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of animal trainers to rise 4.2% (about 2,000 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +4.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 personal care and service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 287th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 47,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 49,700 |
| Projected change | +4.2% |
| Openings a year | 6,500 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 47,800 jobs here differ from the 18,770 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,500 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 338th most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 200 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for animal trainers rank?
The median of $39,990 a year ranks 728th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Caretakers | +12.1% | 62,800 | $35,360 |
| Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors | +7.3% | 68,000 | $47,160 |
| Amusement and Recreation Attendants | +3.7% | 100,400 | $32,150 |
| Animal Breeders | +3.0% | 1,000 | $51,130 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | +9.1% | 23,200 | $38,150 |
| Animal Control Workers | +4.0% | 1,500 | $45,660 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | -3.2% | 26,600 | $36,670 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | +9.4% | 13,400 | $47,380 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.