Animal Trainers vs Recreation Workers: $40K vs $37K Median Pay

Animal Trainers vs Recreation Workers: 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 Recreation Workers if you would rather conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Animal Trainers and Recreation Workers. 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

Recreation Workers

National median pay (2025): $36,560
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: Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 67,000

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Recreation Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

Recreation Workers has the edge on annual openings

Recreation Workers is at 67,000 annual openings, compared with 6,500 annual openings 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 Recreation Workers: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing 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 $36,560 for Recreation Workers.

Recreation Workers has the edge on projected growth

Recreation Workers is at 4.3% projected growth, compared with 4.2% projected growth for Animal Trainers.

48.7/ 100

Animal Trainers

49.8/ 100

Recreation Workers

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