Animal Trainers: Job Description
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Accustom animals to human voice and contact, and condition animals to respond to commands. Train animals according to prescribed standards for show or competition. May train animals to carry pack loads or work as part of pack team.
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What Tasks Do Animal Trainers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of animal trainers include:
- 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.
- 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.
- Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training.
- Administer prescribed medications to animals.
- Keep records documenting animal health, diet, or behavior.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective animal trainers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Animal Trainers Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agility Instructor
- Animal Handler
- Animal Trainer
- Bronc Breaker
- Bronc Buster
- Canine Handler
- Canine Service Teacher
- Cat Groomer
Job Outlook
There are roughly 182,029 animal trainers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.7% over the projection horizon.
Animal Trainers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $32,987 |
| Hourly median | $15.86 |
| 10th percentile | $22,132 |
| 25th percentile | $27,559 |
| 75th percentile | $38,414 |
| 90th percentile | $43,842 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Animal Trainers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $72,080 |
| Alabama | $58,480 |
| Oregon | $48,690 |
| California | $46,780 |
| Maryland | $46,390 |
| New York | $45,470 |
| Iowa | $45,180 |
| Colorado | $43,670 |
| Connecticut | $43,240 |
| Washington | $42,810 |
| Montana | $42,730 |
| Arkansas | $42,460 |
| New Jersey | $42,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,600 |
| North Carolina | $40,860 |
| Wisconsin | $40,360 |
| South Dakota | $39,380 |
| Indiana | $38,530 |
| Georgia | $38,130 |
| Maine | $37,990 |
| West Virginia | $37,970 |
| North Dakota | $37,430 |
| Tennessee | $37,250 |
| District of Columbia | $36,540 |
| New Hampshire | $36,410 |
| Idaho | $36,360 |
| Florida | $36,190 |
| Nevada | $36,060 |
| Minnesota | $35,530 |
| Utah | $35,380 |
| Kansas | $35,360 |
| Mississippi | $35,240 |
| Illinois | $34,560 |
| Delaware | $34,510 |
| Nebraska | $34,500 |
| Michigan | $34,100 |
| Alaska | $33,600 |
| Texas | $33,290 |
| Oklahoma | $33,120 |
| Ohio | $32,960 |
| Arizona | $32,230 |
| South Carolina | $31,620 |
| Louisiana | $31,520 |
| New Mexico | $31,510 |
| Missouri | $30,700 |
| Kentucky | $29,520 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for animal trainers differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $46,136 | 18.0% | 1.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $44,111 | 14.9% | 1.09 |
| Rocky Mountains | $39,338 | 3.7% | 0.99 |
| Great Lakes | $35,477 | 15.5% | 1.14 |
| Plains States | $34,605 | 8.3% | 1.30 |
| Southeast | $33,469 | 26.7% | 1.13 |
| Southwest | $32,747 | 8.9% | 1.00 |
| New England | $28,923 | 4.1% | 1.27 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Animal Trainers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | VA | $94,390 | 110 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $72,080 | 80 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | CO | $64,590 | 30 |
| Birmingham, AL | AL | $63,330 | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $60,390 | 50 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $59,900 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $53,340 | 400 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | NC | $49,170 | 190 |
Which Industries Hire Animal Trainers
The largest employers of animal trainers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9,760 | $42,010 |
| Retail Trade | 3,660 | $35,210 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,600 | $42,710 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1,660 | $44,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 910 | $37,860 |
| Educational Services | 220 | $49,210 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 200 | $40,370 |
| Information | 60 | $121,920 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Project management software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of animal trainers reflects the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
How to Become Animal Trainers
Entry-level animal trainers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Training and Development Managers (Supplemental)
- Training and Development Specialists (Supplemental)
- Animal Scientists (Supplemental)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Supplemental)
- Self-Enrichment Teachers (Primary-Long)
- Athletes and Sports Competitors (Primary-Long)
- Coaches and Scouts (Supplemental)
- Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring animal trainers often complete programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
2 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-2011.00 (Animal Trainers).
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