Careers with animals span veterinary medicine, pet care, training, wildlife research, and conservation. The right path depends on the work you want to do, the training you can pursue, and how you weigh pay, schedule, and the physical or emotional demands of the job. At CareersForge, I help job seekers turn an interest into a practical plan; this guide compares nine paths, their common preparation, and current U.S. pay references.
Quick answer: You can work with animals as a veterinarian, veterinary technician, animal-care worker, groomer, trainer, animal-control officer, wildlife biologist, or conservation professional. Some roles require a professional degree or state credential; others commonly start with a high school diploma, hands-on experience, or employer training.
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On this page
- Careers with animals: nine paths to compare
- Pet careers beyond veterinary medicine
- What are some animal careers that make a decent living?
- What jobs working with animals make the most money?
- How can I get a job working with animals without a four-year degree?
- Wildlife careers and conservation
- What should I compare before choosing a pet career?
- How CareersForge can help with your next step
Careers with animals: nine paths to compare
“Working with animals” can mean treating patients, caring for pets, supporting a shelter, protecting the public, or studying wildlife. Start with the day-to-day work rather than the job title: the paths below involve very different amounts of education and direct animal contact.
| Career path | What the work can involve | Common preparation | U.S. pay reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarian | Diagnose and treat animal health problems; work in clinics, hospitals, farms, labs, or other settings. | DVM degree and state license. | BLS median: $130,100 |
| Veterinary technician or technologist | Assist with tests, procedures, treatment, and patient monitoring. | Usually an associate degree; credentialing rules depend on the state. | BLS median: $47,380 |
| Veterinary assistant or lab-animal caretaker | Support daily clinic or research-facility care and help keep animals safe and comfortable. | Requirements vary; employers may provide on-the-job training. | BLS median: $38,150 |
| Animal caretaker or shelter/kennel worker | Feed, clean, exercise, observe, and handle animals in shelters, kennels, zoos, stables, or pet services. | Often a high school diploma and on-the-job learning; experience can help. | Animal caretaker median: $35,360 |
| Animal trainer | Teach behavior or task-specific skills using safe, consistent training methods. | Experience and practical training are common; requirements vary by specialty and employer. | BLS median: $39,990 |
| Dog groomer or pet stylist | Bathe, brush, trim, and handle pets while communicating with their owners. | Hands-on practice, supervised training, or a grooming program can help; check local and employer requirements. | The national BLS caretaker category is broader and is not a groomer-only estimate. |
| Animal-control worker | Respond to animal-related calls, support public safety, and help enforce local rules. | Requirements and training depend on the employer and location. | BLS median: $45,660 |
| Zoologist or wildlife biologist | Study wildlife, habitats, behavior, and how animals interact with ecosystems. | A bachelor’s degree is typical for entry-level work; advanced roles may require graduate study. | BLS median: $76,780 |
| Conservation scientist | Help manage forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources. | A bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, or a related field is typical. | BLS median: $73,010 |
The figures are U.S. national median annual wages reported for May 2025, not starting salaries or promises about what one person will earn. They describe broad occupational groups in several cases, so a specific employer, state, specialty, schedule, or level of experience can produce a different result. Compare local postings and total compensation before making a decision.
Pet careers beyond veterinary medicine
Not every animal career happens in a veterinary clinic. Pet careers can include grooming, training, kennel and shelter care, animal control, and work for organizations that support animal welfare. These roles differ in how much time you spend handling animals, helping people, documenting cases, or working outdoors.
If grooming is the path that interests you, see our practical guide to how to become a dog groomer. If you are considering clinical work, our veterinary career guide covers that more focused route.
What are some animal careers that make a decent living?
A realistic choice balances the kind of animal work you want with the income and conditions you need. The national medians above show why this comparison matters: hands-on care roles may have lower median pay than clinical or research careers, while the latter usually ask for more formal education. Neither category guarantees a comfortable local budget on its own.
Before you commit, check wages for your state or metro area, whether the job is full time, weekend or overnight expectations, benefits, physical demands, and the cost and time needed for training. Talk with people who do the work if you can, but treat individual stories as experience—not as a national pay estimate.
What jobs working with animals make the most money?
Among the paths in this guide, veterinarians have the highest listed national median wage: $130,100 in May 2025. That route also requires a DVM degree and a state license, so compare the likely education cost and years of training with the work itself. Wildlife biologists and conservation scientists have higher medians than many direct-care roles in the same BLS data, but their work is more research- or habitat-focused and commonly requires a bachelor’s degree.
“Highest paying” is not the same as “best fit.” A job with a lower median may make more sense if you want to start sooner, avoid a long degree program, or spend each day in a particular setting. Look at the duties and local wage range together.
How can I get a job working with animals without a four-year degree?
Some animal-care, kennel, grooming, and training roles do not typically require a bachelor’s degree, although employers may still ask for experience, a certificate, a background check, or specific handling skills. Animal-control requirements also vary by location. Read real local postings before paying for a course; the required credential should match the work you want.
- Choose a setting first: a clinic, shelter, grooming shop, kennel, farm, or training business.
- Build relevant experience through volunteering, supervised handling, customer service, or an entry-level role.
- Learn the safety, cleaning, observation, and record-keeping tasks that appear in your target job postings.
- Ask employers what training they accept, then compare the time and cost before enrolling in a program.
For a role-specific route, our dog-groomer guide can help you map the next steps. The goal is to show employers reliable, safe experience—not simply that you love animals.
Wildlife careers and conservation
Wildlife careers are a different kind of animal work from pet care. Zoologists and wildlife biologists may collect data in the field, work in labs or offices, and study species and ecosystems. Conservation scientists focus on the quality and management of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources. Field roles can mean travel, irregular schedules, outdoor conditions, or physically demanding work.
These paths can suit someone who enjoys science, careful observation, and habitat protection as much as direct animal handling. Check degree requirements and internships early; the BLS says a bachelor’s degree is typical for entry-level zoologist and wildlife-biologist positions, and higher-level research may require graduate study.
What should I compare before choosing a pet career?
I encourage candidates to compare the work behind the title. Ask yourself: Do I want clinical responsibility, routine care, behavior training, public-facing service, or outdoor research? How much schooling can I take on? Am I prepared for cleaning, lifting, weekends, difficult cases, or conversations with worried pet owners? What local pay and benefits would make the role sustainable for me?
Then take one low-cost step: read several current job postings, talk to a local employer, volunteer where appropriate, or shadow someone if the organization allows it. A small test can tell you more about the daily work than a job title alone.
How CareersForge can help with your next step
Once you choose a direction, turn it into a short plan: identify the required skills, gather relevant experience, and tailor your resume to the role. CareersForge offers free career resources and tools to help job seekers organize that process. Start with the CareersForge Career Suite, then compare your qualifications with the requirements in real animal-care postings.
You do not need to choose a lifelong path today. Pick the next step that gives you useful experience and clearer information, then reassess. CareersForge is here to help you make that decision with a plan grounded in the work—not just the idea of working with animals.
Rodrigo Durães is the founder and editor of CareersForge, where he publishes career-development resources on career planning, resumes, interviews, and job search. His professional experience and education are listed on his LinkedIn profile, including his role as Global CEO of VisionCorp International from 2011 to 2023. View Rodrigo’s LinkedIn profile.