Animal Caretakers vs Animal Trainers: $35K vs $40K Median Pay

Animal Caretakers vs Animal Trainers: what changes?

Consider Animal Caretakers if you want to feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental…. Consider Animal Trainers if you would rather train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Animal Caretakers and Animal Trainers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Animal Caretakers

National median pay (2025): $35,360
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 62,800

Know before you choose

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

See the full Animal Caretakers brief

Animal Trainers

National median pay (2025): $39,990
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Cue or signal animals during performances.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 6,500

Know before you choose

Long periods of standing are part of the normal workday.

See the full Animal Trainers brief

How the national numbers differ

Animal Caretakers has the edge on annual openings

Animal Caretakers is at 62,800 annual openings, compared with 6,500 annual openings for Animal Trainers.

Animal Caretakers has the edge on projected growth

Animal Caretakers is at 12.1% projected growth, compared with 4.2% projected growth for Animal Trainers.

Animal Trainers has the edge on median pay

Animal Trainers is at $39,990, compared with $35,360 for Animal Caretakers.

63.8/ 100

Animal Caretakers

48.7/ 100

Animal Trainers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Animal Caretakers vs Animal Trainers

Dimension	Animal Caretakers	Animal Trainers
Median pay (2025)	$35,360	$39,990
Pay percentile	3 percentile	11.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	12.1%	4.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	62,800	6,500
2025 employment	365,300	47,800
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Animal Caretakers brief Read Animal Trainers brief

Animal Caretakers vs Animal Trainers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Animal Caretakers

Animal Trainers

How the national numbers differ

Animal Caretakers has the edge on annual openings

Animal Caretakers has the edge on projected growth

Animal Trainers has the edge on median pay

Animal Caretakers vs Animal Trainers

Try another comparison

Animal Caretakers vs Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors

Animal Trainers vs Baggage Porters and Bellhops