Best states for a marine animal trainer

Q: What is the best state for marine animal trainers?

The best state to be a marine animal trainer is Kentucky based on marine animal trainer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for marine animal trainers?

The highest paying state for marine animal trainers is Maryland based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for marine animal trainers?

The worst state for marine animal trainers is District of Columbia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming a marine animal trainer and really want to work at United States Marine Corps? Turns out, your chances to become a marine animal trainer are better in some states than others.Our research shows that Kentucky is the best state in the country for marine animal trainers.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for marine animal trainers.Kentucky is the best state, and Greece is the city with the highest pay for marine animal trainers.

10 best states for marine animal trainers in 2025

1. Kentucky
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 260
Average annual salary: $39,008
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Marine animal trainer jobs in Kentucky
2. Mississippi
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 229
Average annual salary: $35,761
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.86
Marine animal trainer jobs in Mississippi
3. Oregon
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 244
Average annual salary: $40,432
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Marine animal trainer jobs in Oregon
4. New York
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 674
Average annual salary: $43,359
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Marine animal trainer jobs in New York
5. Nebraska
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 129
Average annual salary: $37,070
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1
Marine animal trainer jobs in Nebraska
6. Missouri
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 341
Average annual salary: $36,324
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1
Marine animal trainer jobs in Missouri
7. Alaska
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 42
Average annual salary: $40,641
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Marine animal trainer jobs in Alaska
8. Ohio
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 642
Average annual salary: $31,223
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Marine animal trainer jobs in Ohio
9. North Dakota
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 41
Average annual salary: $41,088
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
0.76
Marine animal trainer jobs in North Dakota
10. California
Total marine animal trainer jobs: 1,653
Average annual salary: $37,706
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Marine animal trainer jobs in California

Marine animal trainer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a marine animal trainer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a marine animal trainer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Kentucky	$39,008	$28,000	4,454,189	260
2	Mississippi	$35,761	$25,000	2,984,100	229
3	Oregon	$40,432	$27,000	4,142,776	244
4	New York	$43,359	$30,000	19,849,399	674
5	Nebraska	$37,070	$26,000	1,920,076	129
6	Missouri	$36,324	$26,000	6,113,532	341
7	Alaska	$40,641	$32,000	739,795	42
8	Ohio	$31,223	$22,000	11,658,609	642
9	North Dakota	$41,088	$30,000	755,393	41
10	California	$37,706	$25,000	39,536,653	1,653
11	Illinois	$32,194	$23,000	12,802,023	840
12	Utah	$35,893	$24,000	3,101,833	165
13	Florida	$33,529	$23,000	20,984,400	836
14	Kansas	$30,343	$21,000	2,913,123	210
15	West Virginia	$32,050	$22,000	1,815,857	79
16	Pennsylvania	$29,903	$20,000	12,805,537	706
17	Louisiana	$29,690	$20,000	4,684,333	313
18	Wisconsin	$30,667	$22,000	5,795,483	308
19	Indiana	$29,252	$21,000	6,666,818	466
20	Michigan	$30,052	$21,000	9,962,311	461
21	Minnesota	$30,859	$22,000	5,576,606	405
22	Arizona	$30,842	$21,000	7,016,270	315
23	Hawaii	$33,854	$27,000	1,427,538	76
24	South Dakota	$31,680	$23,000	869,666	36
25	Montana	$31,196	$22,000	1,050,493	49
26	Colorado	$30,896	$21,000	5,607,154	303
27	Iowa	$27,529	$19,000	3,145,711	291
28	Rhode Island	$28,449	$19,000	1,059,639	72
29	Wyoming	$28,097	$20,000	579,315	32
30	Texas	$28,465	$19,000	28,304,596	1,161
31	New Jersey	$28,569	$19,000	9,005,644	480
32	Arkansas	$27,542	$19,000	3,004,279	153
33	Maine	$30,045	$23,000	1,335,907	64
34	Delaware	$27,828	$19,000	961,939	75
35	New Mexico	$28,988	$19,000	2,088,070	99
36	Connecticut	$27,668	$19,000	3,588,184	257
37	Virginia	$28,761	$20,000	8,470,020	508
38	South Carolina	$28,719	$20,000	5,024,369	235
39	Washington	$28,548	$19,000	7,405,743	378
40	Nevada	$28,213	$18,000	2,998,039	108
41	Maryland	$26,755	$18,000	6,052,177	458
42	Tennessee	$27,410	$19,000	6,715,984	288
43	Idaho	$27,967	$19,000	1,716,943	77
44	Oklahoma	$27,660	$19,000	3,930,864	153
45	Alabama	$27,167	$19,000	4,874,747	224
46	Georgia	$27,080	$19,000	10,429,379	535
47	New Hampshire	$27,303	$20,000	1,342,795	88
48	Massachusetts	$27,531	$19,000	6,859,819	474
49	North Carolina	$27,138	$19,000	10,273,419	464
50	Vermont	$27,144	$21,000	623,657	22
51	District of Columbia	$27,226	$18,000	693,972	52

Highest paying states for marine animal trainers

Rank	State	Avg. Marine Animal Trainer Salary
1	Kentucky	$39,008
2	Mississippi	$35,761
3	Oregon	$40,432
4	New York	$43,359
5	Nebraska	$37,070
6	Missouri	$36,324
7	Alaska	$40,641
8	Ohio	$31,223
9	North Dakota	$41,088
10	California	$37,706
11	Illinois	$32,194
12	Utah	$35,893
13	Florida	$33,529
14	Kansas	$30,343
15	West Virginia	$32,050
16	Pennsylvania	$29,903
17	Louisiana	$29,690
18	Wisconsin	$30,667
19	Indiana	$29,252
20	Michigan	$30,052
21	Minnesota	$30,859
22	Arizona	$30,842
23	Hawaii	$33,854
24	South Dakota	$31,680
25	Montana	$31,196
26	Colorado	$30,896
27	Iowa	$27,529
28	Rhode Island	$28,449
29	Wyoming	$28,097
30	Texas	$28,465
31	New Jersey	$28,569
32	Arkansas	$27,542
33	Maine	$30,045
34	Delaware	$27,828
35	New Mexico	$28,988
36	Connecticut	$27,668
37	Virginia	$28,761
38	South Carolina	$28,719
39	Washington	$28,548
40	Nevada	$28,213
41	Maryland	$26,755
42	Tennessee	$27,410
43	Idaho	$27,967
44	Oklahoma	$27,660
45	Alabama	$27,167
46	Georgia	$27,080
47	New Hampshire	$27,303
48	Massachusetts	$27,531
49	North Carolina	$27,138
50	Vermont	$27,144
51	District of Columbia	$27,226

Marine animal trainer best states FAQs

What is the best state for marine animal trainers?

What is the highest paying state for marine animal trainers?

What is the worst state for marine animal trainers?

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Search for marine animal trainer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total marine animal trainer jobs:	260
Average annual salary:	$39,008
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$54,000
Location Quotient:	1.22

Best states for a marine animal trainer

10 best states for marine animal trainers in 2025

1. Kentucky

2. Mississippi

3. Oregon

4. New York

5. Nebraska

6. Missouri

7. Alaska

8. Ohio

9. North Dakota

10. California