Animal Trainers

What Animal Trainers 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.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Self-employed

38.8%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.0/5
• Education and Trainingimportance 3.6/5
• Psychologyimportance 3.2/5
• Administration and Managementimportance 3.1/5
• English Languageimportance 3.1/5
• Sales and Marketingimportance 2.8/5
• Administrativeimportance 2.7/5
• Personnel and Human Resourcesimportance 2.7/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Freedom to Make Decisions4.8/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5/5
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.5/5
• Spend Time Standing4.3/5
• Contact With Others4.2/5
• Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.2/5

Related Careers

• Animal Caretakers
• Animal Breeders
• Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
• Animal Control Workers
• Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
• Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
• Athletes and Sports Competitors

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Fire Inspectors and Investigators98% skill match
• Optometrists97% skill match
• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric97% skill match
• Community Health Workers97% skill match
• Medical Dosimetrists97% skill match
• Chiropractors96% skill match
• First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers96% skill match
• Tellers96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Instructingimportance 3.8/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
• Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
• Persuasionimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Dependability
• Perseverance
• Self-Control
• Attention to Detail
• Cooperation
• Empathy
• Optimism

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• RealisticHigh
• SocialMedium
• ConventionalLow
• InvestigativeLow
• EnterprisingLow
• ArtisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where animal trainers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Bloomington, IN6.93× national avg
2. 2Lexington-Fayette, KY5.82× national avg
3. 3Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT3.61× national avg
4. 4Ocala, FL3.08× national avg
5. 5Ann Arbor, MI2.88× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesCareer Change
• First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersAdvancement
• Community Health WorkersCareer Change
• First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersCareer Change

See the full career path from Animal Trainers →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.