The average salary for an animal trainer in Virginia is around $62,960 per year.
Avg Salary
Animal trainers earn an average yearly salary of $62,960.
Wages typically start from $35,270 and go up to $122,170.
0% below national average Updated in 2025
Animal trainer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level animal trainer earnings begin at:
$58.74 per hour
$122,170 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level animal trainer earnings begin at:
$51.84 per hour
$107,830 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level animal trainer earnings begin at:
$30.27 per hour
$62,960 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level animal trainer earnings begin at:
$20.15 per hour
$41,910 per year
10th percentile
Starting level animal trainer earnings begin at:
$16.96 per hour
$35,270 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Animal trainer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Virginia | $62,960 |
| Alabama | $55,700 |
| Oregon | $55,520 |
| California | $49,060 |
| New York | $48,790 |
| New Jersey | $46,690 |
| Washington | $46,420 |
| Illinois | $45,830 |
| Connecticut | $45,800 |
| Indiana | $45,270 |
| Georgia | $45,250 |
| Montana | $44,680 |
| Colorado | $44,290 |
| Massachusetts | $43,580 |
| Iowa | $43,020 |
| Minnesota | $41,690 |
| Idaho | $40,770 |
| Maine | $40,760 |
| Oklahoma | $40,310 |
| Arkansas | $39,400 |
| North Dakota | $38,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,920 |
| Utah | $38,580 |
| District of Columbia | $38,200 |
| South Dakota | $38,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,030 |
| North Carolina | $37,680 |
| Maryland | $37,430 |
| Wisconsin | $37,140 |
| West Virginia | $37,080 |
| Florida | $36,870 |
| Nevada | $36,760 |
| Texas | $36,370 |
| Hawaii | $35,930 |
| Tennessee | $35,320 |
| Mississippi | $35,130 |
| Alaska | $34,900 |
| Nebraska | $34,900 |
| New Mexico | $34,760 |
| Kansas | $34,720 |
| Kentucky | $34,030 |
| Missouri | $34,010 |
| Delaware | $33,810 |
| Arizona | $33,330 |
| Louisiana | $32,720 |
| Ohio | $32,700 |
| Michigan | $30,820 |
| South Carolina | $29,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,870 |
How do animal trainer salaries compare to similar careers?
Animal trainers earn 13% more than similar careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than zoologists but more than animal control workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Zoologist salary | $72K |
| Animal trainer salary | $63K |
| Aquacultural manager salary | $67K |
| Fish and game warden salary | $67K |
| Veterinary technologist salary | $52K |
| Animal control worker salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)