Best institutions to study Animal Training
A program that prepares individuals to teach and exercise animals for leisure, sport, show, and professional purposes.
5 U.S. institutions graduated 164 Animal Training students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.0505, a specialization of Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services (CIP 01.05), and leads most directly to the Animal Trainers occupation (BLS SOC 39-2011).
About Animal Training programs
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.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Animal Training program, part of Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, prepares individuals to teach and exercise animals for various purposes, including leisure, sport, and professional roles. This program is ideal for those passionate about animal behavior and training, seeking to work with pets, show animals, or service animals like seeing-eye dogs and police dogs.
Students will gain knowledge in animal psychology, health, and safety, as well as skills in human-animal interaction and training techniques. Coursework emphasizes learning and behavior styles specific to different breeds and species, equipping graduates with the tools needed for effective animal training.
Credentials awarded
What Animal Training graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree96 graduates / yr · 1 institution59%
- Bachelor's degree49 graduates / yr · 2 institutions30%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year19 graduates / yr · 2 institutions12%
Graduates over time
Animal Training completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 63 |
| 2013 | 73 |
| 2014 | 58 |
| 2015 | 88 |
| 2016 | 100 |
| 2017 | 82 |
| 2018 | 83 |
| 2019 | 73 |
| 2020 | 84 |
| 2021 | 73 |
| 2022 | 68 |
| 2023 | 130 |
| 2024 | 172 |
| 2025 | 164 |
Top 5 institutions for Animal Training, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unity Environmental University New Gloucester, MEPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 96 | 29% | $19,316 |
| 2 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NYPublicBachelor's | 42 | 42% | — |
| 3 | Hocking College Nelsonville, OHPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 11 | 37% | — |
| 4 | Husson University Bangor, MEPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 59% | $18,839 |
| 5 | Saint Francis University Loretto, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 74% | $15,989 |
Offered in 4 states
Where Animal Training graduates come from. Each state links to all Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 2 | 104 | Unity Environmental University96 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 42 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill42 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 11 | Hocking College11 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 7 | Saint Francis University7 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 39-2011, Animal Trainers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Animal Training program can pursue careers as Animal Trainers or Agricultural Sciences Teachers. The job outlook is promising, with an expected growth rate of 5.1% and approximately 7,100 annual openings. The median wage for animal trainers is around $38,750, typically requiring at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 01.0505
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Animal Trainersprimary SOC 39-2011 | $39,990 | +5.1% Faster than average | ~7,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1041 | $98,700 | +4.1% About as fast as average | ~800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Animal Training programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Cue or signal animals during performances.
- Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
- Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.
- Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
- Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
- Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training.
Tools and technology used
Other Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services (CIP 01.05).
- Equestrian/CIP 01.0507
Equine Studies 573 graduates / yr47 institutions - Dog/CIP 01.0504
Pet/ Animal Grooming 408 graduates / yr11 institutions - Agricultural and Domestic Animal ServicesCIP 01.0599partial data32 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Taxidermy/CIP 01.0508
Taxidermist limited data12 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Farrier Science01.0509
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services programs →
Common questions
What degrees are offered in this program?+
The program offers a Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, and an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in speaking, critical thinking, active listening, and monitoring, among others.
What tasks will I perform as an animal trainer?+
Tasks include cueing animals during performances, conducting training programs, and observing animals' physical conditions.
What is the job outlook for animal trainers?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5.1% and about 7,100 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for Animal Training?+
Animal Training is CIP 01.0505 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services (CIP 01.05). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer Animal Training programs?+
5 U.S. institutions reported Animal Training graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 4 states, awarding 164 credentials in the year. That is 13.8% of all Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services graduates.
How much do Animal Training graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Animal Trainers occupation, which Animal Training most directly leads to, pays a median of $39,990 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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