The average salary of an animal trainer is $43,510 yearly, but the salary varies depending on the type of animals people are training. Are you fascinated by animals? Do you think you can train them to do tricks or acrobatics? If so, then becoming an animal trainer can help you get the job done. You would work with different types of animals such as dogs, cats and birds. You would teach them to stay in certain positions and make them repeat certain movements.
A professional animal trainer in the United States earns a median salary of $30,000 per year. This is the median annual wage for all animal trainers in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The top 10% of earners make at least $39,000 per year. The lowest-paid 10% make less than $19,000 annually.
Salary for animal trainer
A person working as an Animal Trainer in United States typically earns around 50,500 USD per year. Salaries range from 26,700 USD (lowest) to 76,700 USD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Animal Trainer salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Animal Trainer Salary Distribution in United States
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangeAnimal Trainer salaries in United States range from 26,700 USD per year (minimum salary) to 76,700 USD per year (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 47,400 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Animal Trainer(s) are earning less than 47,400 USD while the other half are earning more than 47,400 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Animal Trainer(s) are earning less than 33,400 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 33,400 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Animal Trainer(s) are earning less than 58,300 USD while 25% are earning more than 58,300 USD.
Animal Trainer Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Animal Trainer salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
An Animal Trainer with less than two years of experience makes approximately 30,700 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 37,700 USD per year, 23% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 53,500 USD per year, 42% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Animal Trainer(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 62,500 USD per year, 17% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 68,700 USD per year, 10% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 72,700 USD per year, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Animal Trainer average salary change by experience in United States
| 0 – 2 Years | 30,700 USD | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +23% | 37,700 USD |
| 5 – 10 Years | +42% | 53,500 USD |
| 10 – 15 Years | +17% | 62,500 USD |
| 15 – 20 Years | +10% | 68,700 USD |
| 20+ Years | +6% | 72,700 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Animal Trainer Salary Comparison By Education
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Animal Trainer salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is High School, the average salary of an Animal Trainer is 40,700 USD per year.
While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 65,700 USD per year, 61% more than someone having a High School degree.
Animal Trainer average salary difference by education level in United States
| High School | 40,700 USD | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +61% | 65,700 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
