Animal Trainers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$39,990
United States, 2025
Employment
18,770
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 39-2011.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Typical tasks
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$29,600
25th percentile
$33,740
75th percentile
$53,580
90th percentile
$75,490
Most important skills
- Instructing3.8
- Speaking3.5
- Learning Strategies3.5
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 13 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
13
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Strategies | 3.5 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Instructing | 3.8 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.5 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $33,580
Compare with Animal TrainersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | $99,190 | — | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $66,040 | 110 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $64,430 | — | 2025 |
| VA | $62,960 | 720 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $61,490 | 300 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $59,710 | 60 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $58,160 | 60 | 2025 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $58,090 | 40 | 2025 |
| AL | $55,700 | 170 | 2025 |
| Raleigh, NC | $55,560 | 160 | 2025 |
| OR | $55,520 | 140 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $54,810 | 80 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $51,230 | 830 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $50,460 | 650 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $50,420 | 70 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $50,260 | 170 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $50,020 | 970 | 2025 |
| Tulsa, OK | $49,320 | 80 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $49,170 | 110 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $49,150 | 230 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Animal Trainers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.