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Career

Animal Trainers

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $39,990 Median per year · $19.22/hr Most earn $29,600–$75,490

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
  • Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
  • Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
  • Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
  • Evaluate animals for trainability and ability to perform.
  • Cue or signal animals during performances.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 6,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)38.7%
  • Other personal services19.0%
  • Support activities for agriculture and forestry17.3%
  • Animal production and aquaculture7.2%
  • Other miscellaneous retailers7.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Animal Trainer is usually not a first job straight out of high school. Most people first gain 1 to 2 years of hands-on animal experience, often as an animal caretaker, before they work as trainers.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build a base in biology, animal care, and working with people, which employers look for in animal jobs.

  2. Animal Caretaker

    1-2 years

    Feed, clean, exercise, and handle animals every day. This teaches you animal behavior and body language, which you need before you can train them.

  3. Animal Trainer

    1-2 years of related experience first

    Teach animals to follow commands for shows, service work, obedience, or other purposes, using patient, consistent methods.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Animal Trainer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of a training program, guide other trainers, and handle the hardest cases. Moving up means showing you can train reliably and lead a team.

  2. Animal Breeder

    1-2 years of experience first

    You shift focus to choosing and pairing animals to produce healthy young with good traits. Moving here means learning genetics and record keeping alongside handling skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and life science classesThese classes teach how animals behave, learn, and stay healthy, which is the foundation for training.
  • Volunteer at an animal shelter or humane societyYou will get real experience handling animals and learn what caretaking involves day to day.
  • Get a part-time job at a stable, pet store, or farmRegular work with animals builds the 1 to 2 years of experience that employers typically expect.
  • Join a 4-H club or FFA chapterThese groups teach animal handling, showing, and training, and they often include competitions.
  • Take a public speaking or communication classTrainers must explain clear commands to owners and handlers, so clear communication is a useful skill.

In college

  • Major in animal science, biology, or psychologyThese majors cover animal behavior and learning, which are central to effective training.
  • Work as an animal caretaker or kennel assistantA campus or town job with animals builds the hands-on experience that employers want.
  • Take animal behavior or learning theory coursesUnderstanding how animals learn helps you design training methods that actually work.
  • Join a campus animal club or pet-training groupYou can practice handling and training with other students and may get chances to lead or teach.
  • Seek a certification in animal training or handlingMany local programs and organizations offer short courses that show employers you have formal training.

Tips for getting started

  • Volunteer or work at a shelter, stable, kennel, or farm to start building hands-on experience with animals and their handlers.
  • Keep a simple log of the animals you work with and the skills you teach them. Trainers are often hired based on proof of what they have done.
  • Learn to be patient and calm around animals and people. Those traits matter as much as technical skill in this job.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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