Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$38,480
- 25th Percentile — Junior$44,320
- 50th Percentile — Median$51,130
- 75th Percentile — Senior$62,080
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$90,550
The top 10% of Animal Breeders earn $90,550 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $38,480, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $88,366 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $86,655 | +52.0% |
| Ohio | $82,540 | +44.8% |
| Alaska (est.) | $75,253 | +32.0% |
| Massachusetts (est.) | $74,113 | +30.0% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $72,973 | +28.0% |
| Washington (est.) | $71,262 | +25.0% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $69,552 | +22.0% |
| California | $66,550 | +16.7% |
| Maryland (est.) | $65,562 | +15.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $65,562 | +15.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $64,991 | +14.0% |
| Oregon (est.) | $63,851 | +12.0% |
| Colorado (est.) | $62,711 | +10.0% |
| Virginia (est.) | $62,711 | +10.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $61,571 | +8.0% |
| Delaware (est.) | $59,860 | +5.0% |
| Illinois (est.) | $59,860 | +5.0% |
| Maine (est.) | $58,150 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $58,150 | +2.0% |
| Utah (est.) | $57,010 | +0.0% |
| Arizona (est.) | $56,440 | -1.0% |
| Pennsylvania (est.) | $56,440 | -1.0% |
| Florida (est.) | $55,870 | -2.0% |
| Montana (est.) | $54,160 | -5.0% |
| Georgia (est.) | $53,019 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $53,019 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $53,019 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $52,449 | -8.0% |
| New York | $52,410 | -8.1% |
| Texas | $52,370 | -8.1% |
| North Carolina (est.) | $51,879 | -9.0% |
| Michigan (est.) | $51,309 | -10.0% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $50,169 | -12.0% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $50,169 | -12.0% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $50,169 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $50,169 | -12.0% |
| Wisconsin | $49,890 | -12.5% |
| Missouri (est.) | $49,599 | -13.0% |
| Minnesota | $49,200 | -13.7% |
| Iowa (est.) | $49,029 | -14.0% |
| Indiana (est.) | $48,458 | -15.0% |
| Kansas (est.) | $48,458 | -15.0% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $47,888 | -16.0% |
| Arkansas (est.) | $47,318 | -17.0% |
| Kentucky (est.) | $47,318 | -17.0% |
| Alabama | $45,970 | -19.4% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $45,608 | -20.0% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $44,468 | -22.0% |
| South Dakota | $44,170 | -22.5% |
| Nebraska | $41,690 | -26.9% |
What Factors Affect Animal Breeders Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Animal Breeders is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Ohio pays an average of $82,540, while Nebraska pays $41,690 — a gap of $40,850 per year.
The middle half of Animal Breeders earn between $44,320 and $62,080 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,480, while the top 10% earn more than $90,550.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Animal Breeders?
The average salary for Animal Breeders in the United States is $57,010 per year, with a median of $51,130.
What is the starting salary for Animal Breeders?
Entry-level Animal Breeders typically earn between $38,480 and $44,320 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Animal Breeders the most?
Ohio pays Animal Breeders the most at $82,540 per year on average, followed by California ($66,550) and New York ($52,410).
How much do Animal Breeders make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $57,010, Animal Breeders earn approximately $27.41 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Animal Breeders a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 1,330 Animal Breeders jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $57,010 and a median of $51,130 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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