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Animal Breeders Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 45-2021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$51,126
$24.58/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Animal Breeders salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$38K
P25$44K
P50$51K
P75$62K
P90$91K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $51,126 to $62,088 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Animal Breeders pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role fell 1.7% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

the broader market is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.4 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: national wages rose 3.2% over the year while CPI reached 3.5%, the first negative real-wage reading since 2022. Benefit costs accelerated to 3.8%.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Animal Breeders is $51,126 per year ($24.58/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $44,325 and $62,088 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $90,542 per year. There are approximately 1,330 animal breeders employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+2.4%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
8K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
2% from new growth98% 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
Short-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Support Activities for Animal Production
NAICS 115200
750$47,900
Animal Slaughtering and Processing
NAICS 311600
100$63,930
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,900 to $63,930 (33% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$18.50$38,480
P25$21.31$44,325
P50MEDIAN$24.58$51,126
P75$29.85$62,088
P90$43.53$90,542

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%

The labor market stayed steady in June: job openings were little changed at 7.4M (rate 4.4%), hires held at 5.3M, and total separations changed little at 5.4M. Quits were 3.2M (rate 2.0%). Openings rose in transportation, warehousing & utilities (+97K) and fell in wholesale trade (-74K).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average animal breeders salary?

The national median salary for Animal Breeders is $51,126 per year ($24.58/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $44,325 and $62,088 annually.

How much do top-earning animal breeders make?

The 90th percentile salary for Animal Breeders is $90,542 per year ($43.53/hr). The 75th percentile is $62,088 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for animal breeders?

Entry-level Animal Breeders (10th percentile) earn approximately $38,480 per year ($18.50/hr). The 25th percentile is $44,325 per year.

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Animal Breeders Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California410 workersMinnesota170 workersNew York140 workersOhio80 workersAlabama60 workers

About This Data

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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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