Average Salary for Animal Trainers
SOC 39-2011 · Personal Care and Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Animal Trainers in the United States is $38,750 ($18.63/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $29,120 at the 10th percentile to $70,800 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 20,110 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 50.4% since 2014.
Median Annual
$38,750
Mean Annual
$45,780
10th Pct
$29,120
75th Pct
$48,900
Employment
20,110
Salary Distribution
$29k
10th
$33k
25th
$39k
Median
$49k
75th
$71k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $94,390 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $72,080 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $64,590 |
| Birmingham, AL | $63,330 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,390 |
| Madison, WI | $59,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $53,340 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $49,170 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $48,480 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $48,430 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,600 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $47,120 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,790 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,780 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Animal Trainers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $121,920 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $121,920 |
| Information | $121,920 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $61,710 |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $61,620 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $61,440 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $61,440 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $59,600 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $57,980 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $57,980 |
| Educational Services | $56,820 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $54,370 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $54,370 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $54,180 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $49,310 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $49,210 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $49,210 |
| Educational Services | $49,210 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $48,900 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $48,430 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $48,390 |
| Engineering Services | $46,780 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $46,780 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $45,600 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $45,600 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $45,300 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $45,080 |
| Spectator Sports | $44,630 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $44,310 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | $44,150 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | $44,150 |
| Support Activities for Animal Production | $44,150 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $42,710 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $42,010 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $41,690 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $41,690 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $41,600 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $41,600 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $40,890 |
| Other Personal Services | $40,890 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $40,370 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $38,720 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $38,360 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $38,360 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $37,860 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $37,860 |
| Veterinary Services | $35,440 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $35,210 |
| Retail Trade | $35,210 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $35,200 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $34,960 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services | $34,960 |
| Social Assistance | $34,560 |
| Individual and Family Services | $34,560 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $34,560 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $31,660 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $31,510 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $38,750 |
| 2023 | $38,810 |
| 2022 | $35,620 |
| 2021 | $31,280 |
| 2020 | $31,520 |
| 2019 | $30,430 |
| 2018 | $29,290 |
| 2017 | $28,880 |
| 2016 | $27,690 |
| 2015 | $26,610 |
| 2014 | $25,770 |