Animal Trainers Salary
The median pay for a animal trainers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $38,370/year ($18.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $41,843 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 50.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About animal trainers
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Animal trainers pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 50.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for animal trainers in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $47K | $45K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $42K | $40K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $41K | $42K |
| Kansas City | $36K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level animal trainers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Trainers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Animal Trainers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $63K | +57% | 720 |
| Alabama | $56K | +39% | 170 |
| Oregon | $56K | +39% | 140 |
| California | $49K | +23% | 2,270 |
| New York | $49K | +22% | 970 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +17% | 480 |
| Washington | $46K | +16% | 360 |
| Illinois | $46K | +15% | 680 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +15% | 290 |
| Indiana | $45K | +13% | 380 |
| Georgia | $45K | +13% | 800 |
| Montana | $45K | +12% | 80 |
| Colorado | $44K | +11% | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +9% | 510 |
| Iowa | $43K | +8% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $42K | +4% | 300 |
| Idaho | $41K | +2% | 180 |
| Maine | $41K | +2% | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | +1% | 250 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -1% | 110 |
| North Dakota | $39K | -3% | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $39K | -3% | 460 |
| Utah | $39K | -4% | 260 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | -4% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $38K | -5% | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | -5% | 140 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -6% | 640 |
| Maryland | $37K | -6% | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -7% | 480 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -7% | 100 |
| Florida | $37K | -8% | 1,090 |
| Nevada | $37K | -8% | 170 |
| Texas | $36K | -9% | 1,080 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -12% | 310 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -12% | 40 |
| Alaska | $35K | -13% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -13% | 60 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -13% | 60 |
| Kansas | $35K | -13% | 250 |
| Kentucky | $34K | -15% | 470 |
| Missouri | $34K | -15% | 250 |
| Delaware | $34K | -15% | 90 |
| Arizona | $33K | -17% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $33K | -18% | N/A |
| Ohio | $33K | -18% | 730 |
| Michigan | $31K | -23% | 800 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -26% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track animal trainers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal trainer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 50.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal trainers in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal trainers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,819/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is animal trainer a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for animal trainers?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do animal trainers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $38,370 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,320, and experienced animal trainers can clear $68,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,592/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 50.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a animal trainers salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median animal trainers salary is worth about $41,843 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do animal trainers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.