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The national median salary for Animal Trainers is $39,978 per year ($19.22/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $33,738 and $53,581 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $75,483 per year. There are approximately 18,770 animal trainers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+5.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings
7K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
47K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Personal Services
NAICS 812900
9K
$39,990
Other Miscellaneous Retailers
NAICS 459900
3K
$36,240
Spectator Sports
NAICS 711200
2K
$46,470
Support Activities for Animal Production
NAICS 115200
1K
$43,630
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
380
$57,430
Wage range across top 5 industries: $36,240 to $57,430 (58% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$14.23
$29,598
P25
$16.22
$33,738
P50MEDIAN
$19.22
$39,978
P75
$25.76
$53,581
P90
$36.29
$75,483
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average animal trainers salary?
The national median salary for Animal Trainers is $39,978 per year ($19.22/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $33,738 and $53,581 annually.
How much do top-earning animal trainers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Animal Trainers is $75,483 per year ($36.29/hr). The 75th percentile is $53,581 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for animal trainers?
Entry-level Animal Trainers (10th percentile) earn approximately $29,598 per year ($14.23/hr). The 25th percentile is $33,738 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.