Animal Training
A program that prepares individuals to teach and exercise animals for leisure, sport, show, and professional purposes. Includes instruction in animal psychology, health, and safety; human-animal interaction; learning and behavior styles associated with different breeds and species; and the technical and pedagogical aspects of training animals for such specific functions as obedient household pets, performing show animals, animal athletes, caregiving (e.g., seeing-eye dogs), search and rescue, and police/security work.
- Schools offering
- 4
- Annual completions
- 57
- Typical degree level
- Associate's + Bachelor's
- Median earnings (5yr)
- $40k
About this major
A program that prepares individuals to teach and exercise animals for leisure, sport, show, and professional purposes. Includes instruction in animal psychology, health, and safety; human-animal interaction; learning and behavior styles associated with different breeds and species; and the technical and pedagogical aspects of training animals for such specific functions as obedient household pets, performing show animals, animal athletes, caregiving (e.g., seeing-eye dogs), search and rescue, and police/security work.
Where this major leads
Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.
| Occupation | Median wage | Job growth | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal trainers | $39k | +5.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $86k | +4.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Earnings at a glance
Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.
Median 5-year earnings
$40k
Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings
Associate's
$33k
Bachelor's
$42k
Top colleges for Animal Training
Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.
| College | Location | Assoc. | Bach. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | Cobleskill, NY | 0 | 41 | 41 |
| Saint Francis University | Loretto, PA | 0 | 13 | 13 |
| Lamar Community College | Lamar, CO | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Unity Environmental University | New Gloucester, ME | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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