Animal Trainers vs Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: $40K vs $36K Median Pay

Animal Trainers vs Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: what changes?

Consider Animal Trainers if you want to train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Consider Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists if you would rather provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. Entry credentials differ: Animal Trainers, high school diploma or equivalent; Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, postsecondary nondegree award.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Animal Trainers and Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists. 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 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

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

National median pay (2025): $35,790
Route into the job: Postsecondary nondegree award
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 73,400

Know before you choose

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

See the full Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists brief

How the national numbers differ

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists has the edge on annual openings

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is at 73,400 annual openings, compared with 6,500 annual openings for Animal Trainers.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists has the edge on projected growth

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is at 7.7% projected growth, compared with 4.2% projected growth for Animal Trainers.

Typical preparation differs.

Animal Trainers: 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 Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: Postsecondary nondegree award Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Animal Trainers has the edge on median pay

Animal Trainers is at $39,990, compared with $35,790 for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.

48.7/ 100

Animal Trainers

58/ 100

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

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