How much does an animal trainer make?
Typical yearly pay for animal trainers in the United States.
median pay per year, about $3,332 a month or $19.23 an hour.
That's more than 13% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #87 of 100.
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| Nursing assistant | $42,260 |
| Referee or umpire | $40,710 |
| Butcher | $40,140 |
| Animal trainer | $39,990 |
| Barber | $38,210 |
| Veterinary assistant | $38,150 |
| Security guard | $38,020 |
Similar jobs
- Forest conservation worker$43,680
- Game warden$74,060
How much does an animal trainer make per hour?
About $19.23 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming an animal trainer
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
How to become an animal trainer
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Animal Trainers” (code 39-2011.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.