Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Animal Trainers
Occupation · SOC 39-2011.00
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Accustom animals to human voice and contact, and condition animals to respond to commands. Train animals according to prescribed standards for show or competition. May train animals to carry pack loads or work as part of pack team.
Also called: Dog Trainer · Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI) · Horse Trainer · Trainer · Agility Instructor · Dog Obedience Instructor · Guide Dog Instructor · Guide Dog Trainer · Racehorse Trainer · Service Dog Trainer · Animal Handler · Animal Trainer
Job family: Personal Care and Service Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-39-2011-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+5.1% by 2034)
- 7,100 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $38,750/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
15th-percentile task overlap — yet about 7,100 openings a year (+5.1% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 21st | -0.9 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 18th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 14th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.1 · 29th percentile among occupations · Low
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes. | 0.2% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +5.1% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 7,100 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 47,300 → 49,800 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Animal Trainers sits at the 14th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
14% mean task exposure (2025)
14th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−1 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Pet Groomers and Animal Care Workers · 5164 | 14% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 19 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Train horses or other equines for riding, harness, show, racing, or other work, using knowledge of breed characteristics, training methods, performance standards, and the peculiarities of each animal. Supplemental · importance 4.5
- Cue or signal animals during performances. Core · importance 4.5
- Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact. Core · importance 4.5
- Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes. Core · importance 4.4
- Use oral, spur, rein, or hand commands to condition horses to carry riders or to pull horse-drawn equipment. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Retrain horses to break bad habits, such as kicking, bolting, or resisting bridling or grooming. Supplemental · importance 4.4
- Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas. Core · importance 4.4
- Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care. Core · importance 4.4
- Train dogs in human assistance or property protection duties. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training. Core · importance 4.3
- Administer prescribed medications to animals. Core · importance 4.3
- Keep records documenting animal health, diet, or behavior. Core · importance 4.1
- Evaluate animals for trainability and ability to perform. Core · importance 4.0
- Advise animal owners regarding the purchase of specific animals. Core · importance 3.6
- Organize or conduct animal shows. Supplemental · importance 3.2
- Instruct jockeys in handling specific horses during races. Supplemental
- Place tack or harnesses on horses to accustom horses to the feel of equipment. Supplemental
- Train and rehearse animals, according to scripts, for motion picture, television, film, stage, or circus performances. Supplemental
- Train dogs to work as guides for the visually impaired. Supplemental
Emerging tasks
Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.
- Teach owners how to train their dogs.
- Teach people with visual impairments to use guide dogs.
Work activities
- Train animals.
- Evaluate capabilities or training needs.
- Monitor health or behavior of people or animals.
- Direct productions or performances.
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Maintain facilities.
- Care for animals.
- Document client health or progress.
- Discuss service options or needs with clients.
- Organize recreational activities or events.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.0 | |
| Education and Training | 3.6 | |
| Psychology | 3.2 | |
| Administration and Management | 3.1 | |
| English Language | 3.1 |
Transferable skills
| Instructing | 3.8 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | |
| Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.6 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.4 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.3 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.3 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.1 | |
| Originality | 3.1 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.1 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Written Expression | 3.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.0 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.0 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.0 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Trunk Strength | 3.0 | |
| Stamina | 3.0 | |
| Gross Body Coordination | 3.0 | |
| Near Vision | 3.0 | |
| Far Vision | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.5 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 | |
| Active Learning | 3.3 | |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Showing the top 40 of 42.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related 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.
- Preparation level
- SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences , Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 44.4% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 22.6% | |
| Some College Courses | 16.6% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 7.8% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 6.8% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 1.8% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Interest areas
| Animal Service | 6.6 | |
| Teaching/Education | 3.6 | |
| Physical/Manual Labor | 3.5 | |
| Nature/Outdoors | 2.4 | |
| Personal Service | 2.3 | |
| Public Speaking | 1.9 | |
| Social Service | 1.9 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 6.5 | |
| Social | 3.6 | |
| Conventional | 3.0 | |
| Investigative | 2.3 | |
| Enterprising | 2.1 |
Work styles
| Dependability | 2.5 | |
| Perseverance | 2.2 | |
| Self-Control | 1.9 | |
| Attention to Detail | 1.9 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $29,120 |
| 25th percentile | $32,870 |
| Median (50th) | $38,750 |
| 75th percentile | $48,900 |
| 90th percentile | $70,800 |
| People employed | 20,110 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 9,760 | $42,010 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 3,660 | $35,210 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation · Sector | 2,600 | $42,710 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting · Sector | 1,660 | $44,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 910 | $37,860 |
| Veterinary Services · National industry | 340 | $35,440 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 220 | $49,210 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 200 | $40,370 |
| Information · Sector | 60 | $121,920 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters · National industry | 60 | $48,390 |
| Engineering Services · National industry | — | $46,780 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | — | $41,600 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting · Sector | 30.06× | 1,660 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 16.91× | 9,760 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation · Sector | 7.54× | 2,600 |
| Veterinary Services · National industry | 5.62× | 340 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 1.8× | 3,660 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 0.65× | 910 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 0.12× | 220 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 0.07× | 200 |
Related occupations
Part of the Agriculture career cluster.
- Animal Caretakers · 39-2021.00 Compare →
- Animal Breeders · 45-2021.00 Compare →
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers · 31-9096.00 Compare →
- Animal Control Workers · 33-9011.00 Compare →
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals · 45-2093.00 Compare →
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors · 39-9031.00 Compare →
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians · 29-2056.00 Compare →
- Athletes and Sports Competitors · 27-2021.00 Compare →
- Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials · 27-2023.00 Compare →
- Self-Enrichment Teachers · 25-3021.00 Compare →
- Veterinarians · 29-1131.00 Compare →
- Athletic Trainers · 29-9091.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Animal Trainers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences · field of study
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 14th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Animal Trainers show 15th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 7,100 annual U.S. openings
- Animal Trainers rank in the 15th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 7,100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+5.1%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $38,750, across about 20,110 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Animal Trainers show 15th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 7,100 annual U.S. openings • Animal Trainers rank in the 15th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 7,100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+5.1%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $38,750, across about 20,110 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Animal Trainers". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-2011-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Animal Trainers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-2011-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Animal Trainers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-2011-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-39-2011-00,
title = {Animal Trainers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-2011-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.