Average Animal Trainers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Animal Trainers is $39,990 per year. The middle 50% earn between $33,740 and $53,580, with 18,770 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 47 states and 95 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Animal Trainers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $29,600
- 25th
- $33,740
- Median
- $39,990
- 75th
- $53,580
- 90th
- $75,490
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
This is a lower-wage occupation relative to the US labor market. Pay is below the national median for all workers.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two animal trainers at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for animal trainers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +5.1%
- 2,400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 7,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Animal Trainers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where animal trainers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Virginia at $62,960, about 57.4% above the national median. At the metro level, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC leads with a median of $99,190.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $62,960 | 720 |
| Alabama | $55,700 | 170 |
| Oregon | $55,520 | 140 |
| California | $49,060 | 2,270 |
| New York | $48,790 | 970 |
| New Jersey | $46,690 | 480 |
| Washington | $46,420 | 360 |
| Illinois | $45,830 | 680 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $99,190 | N/A |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $66,040 | 110 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $64,430 | N/A |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $61,490 | 300 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $59,710 | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $58,160 | 60 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $58,090 | 40 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $55,560 | 160 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see animal trainers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Animal Trainers rose from $30,430 to $39,990, a gain of +31.4% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $30,430 would need to be worth $38,320 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $39,990 is $1,670 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +4.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 4.4%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +31.4%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +4.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Animal Trainers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $39,990
- 2024
- $38,750
- 2023
- $38,810
- 2022
- $35,620
- 2021
- $31,280
- 2020
- $31,520
- 2019
- $30,430
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Animal Caretakers
- $35,360
- Concierges
- $38,950
- Motion Picture Projectionists
- $38,270
- Barbers
- $38,210
- Tour And Travel Guides
- $38,120
- Residential Advisors
- $42,240
- Baggage Porters And Bellhops
- $37,080
Common salary questions for Animal Trainers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Animal Trainers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.