Best states for a service dog trainer

Q: What is the best state for service dog trainers?

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

Q: What is the highest paying state for service dog trainers?

The highest paying state for service dog trainers is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for service dog trainers?

The worst state for service dog trainers is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming a service dog trainer and really want to work at Steak 'n Shake? Turns out, your chances to become a service dog trainer are better in some states than others.Our research found that Kentucky is the best state for service dog trainers, while New York and California are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Kentucky has a median salary of $37,254 and New York has the highest median salary among all 50 states for service dog trainers.

In order to get you the best states for service dog trainers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Kentucky is the best state, and Southampton is the city with the highest pay for service dog trainers.

10 best states for service dog trainers in 2025

1. Kentucky
Total service dog trainer jobs: 301
Average annual salary: $37,254
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Service dog trainer jobs in Kentucky
2. New York
Total service dog trainer jobs: 669
Average annual salary: $54,827
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Service dog trainer jobs in New York
3. Oregon
Total service dog trainer jobs: 226
Average annual salary: $43,360
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Service dog trainer jobs in Oregon
4. Pennsylvania
Total service dog trainer jobs: 770
Average annual salary: $34,947
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Service dog trainer jobs in Pennsylvania
5. Mississippi
Total service dog trainer jobs: 195
Average annual salary: $34,112
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.64
Service dog trainer jobs in Mississippi
6. Utah
Total service dog trainer jobs: 167
Average annual salary: $37,709
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Service dog trainer jobs in Utah
7. California
Total service dog trainer jobs: 1,467
Average annual salary: $44,373
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Service dog trainer jobs in California
8. Rhode Island
Total service dog trainer jobs: 78
Average annual salary: $34,769
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Service dog trainer jobs in Rhode Island
9. Connecticut
Total service dog trainer jobs: 245
Average annual salary: $33,825
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Service dog trainer jobs in Connecticut
10. North Dakota
Total service dog trainer jobs: 42
Average annual salary: $37,925
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Service dog trainer jobs in North Dakota

Service dog trainer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a service dog trainer

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

Detailed list of the best states for a service dog trainer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Kentucky	$37,254	$24,000	4,454,189	301
2	New York	$54,827	$33,000	19,849,399	669
3	Oregon	$43,360	$27,000	4,142,776	226
4	Pennsylvania	$34,947	$21,000	12,805,537	770
5	Mississippi	$34,112	$23,000	2,984,100	195
6	Utah	$37,709	$24,000	3,101,833	167
7	California	$44,373	$27,000	39,536,653	1,467
8	Rhode Island	$34,769	$22,000	1,059,639	78
9	Connecticut	$33,825	$21,000	3,588,184	245
10	North Dakota	$37,925	$25,000	755,393	42
11	Missouri	$34,364	$22,000	6,113,532	334
12	New Jersey	$34,688	$21,000	9,005,644	461
13	Alaska	$38,775	$27,000	739,795	35
14	Ohio	$31,686	$20,000	11,658,609	667
15	Nebraska	$34,980	$23,000	1,920,076	109
16	West Virginia	$32,189	$20,000	1,815,857	89
17	Michigan	$31,468	$20,000	9,962,311	463
18	Florida	$34,518	$23,000	20,984,400	780
19	Nevada	$31,758	$19,000	2,998,039	119
20	Delaware	$32,096	$19,000	961,939	75
21	Illinois	$31,248	$20,000	12,802,023	809
22	Maine	$34,448	$23,000	1,335,907	50
23	Iowa	$30,080	$19,000	3,145,711	236
24	New Hampshire	$32,347	$21,000	1,342,795	83
25	Arizona	$31,166	$20,000	7,016,270	324
26	Hawaii	$33,706	$29,000	1,427,538	60
27	Kansas	$28,743	$19,000	2,913,123	200
28	Massachusetts	$33,255	$21,000	6,859,819	398
29	Wisconsin	$30,256	$19,000	5,795,483	309
30	Louisiana	$28,672	$19,000	4,684,333	286
31	Indiana	$28,320	$18,000	6,666,818	447
32	Maryland	$29,502	$18,000	6,052,177	417
33	Colorado	$30,386	$20,000	5,607,154	307
34	Vermont	$30,916	$21,000	623,657	21
35	South Dakota	$29,402	$19,000	869,666	32
36	Minnesota	$29,376	$19,000	5,576,606	341
37	Idaho	$29,375	$19,000	1,716,943	78
38	Texas	$27,728	$18,000	28,304,596	1,223
39	Wyoming	$27,363	$18,000	579,315	34
40	Virginia	$29,598	$18,000	8,470,020	505
41	Montana	$29,356	$19,000	1,050,493	50
42	New Mexico	$28,627	$18,000	2,088,070	100
43	South Carolina	$27,759	$18,000	5,024,369	235
44	Tennessee	$26,015	$17,000	6,715,984	338
45	Arkansas	$25,923	$17,000	3,004,279	153
46	Washington	$29,750	$18,000	7,405,743	346
47	District of Columbia	$29,571	$18,000	693,972	41
48	Oklahoma	$26,209	$17,000	3,930,864	151
49	North Carolina	$26,473	$17,000	10,273,419	451
50	Georgia	$25,801	$17,000	10,429,379	506
51	Alabama	$25,851	$17,000	4,874,747	198

Highest paying states for service dog trainers

Rank	State	Avg. Service Dog Trainer Salary
1	Kentucky	$37,254
2	New York	$54,827
3	Oregon	$43,360
4	Pennsylvania	$34,947
5	Mississippi	$34,112
6	Utah	$37,709
7	California	$44,373
8	Rhode Island	$34,769
9	Connecticut	$33,825
10	North Dakota	$37,925
11	Missouri	$34,364
12	New Jersey	$34,688
13	Alaska	$38,775
14	Ohio	$31,686
15	Nebraska	$34,980
16	West Virginia	$32,189
17	Michigan	$31,468
18	Florida	$34,518
19	Nevada	$31,758
20	Delaware	$32,096
21	Illinois	$31,248
22	Maine	$34,448
23	Iowa	$30,080
24	New Hampshire	$32,347
25	Arizona	$31,166
26	Hawaii	$33,706
27	Kansas	$28,743
28	Massachusetts	$33,255
29	Wisconsin	$30,256
30	Louisiana	$28,672
31	Indiana	$28,320
32	Maryland	$29,502
33	Colorado	$30,386
34	Vermont	$30,916
35	South Dakota	$29,402
36	Minnesota	$29,376
37	Idaho	$29,375
38	Texas	$27,728
39	Wyoming	$27,363
40	Virginia	$29,598
41	Montana	$29,356
42	New Mexico	$28,627
43	South Carolina	$27,759
44	Tennessee	$26,015
45	Arkansas	$25,923
46	Washington	$29,750
47	District of Columbia	$29,571
48	Oklahoma	$26,209
49	North Carolina	$26,473
50	Georgia	$25,801
51	Alabama	$25,851

Service dog trainer best states FAQs

What is the best state for service dog trainers?

What is the highest paying state for service dog trainers?

What is the worst state for service dog trainers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for service dog trainer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total service dog trainer jobs:	301
Average annual salary:	$37,254
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$24,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$56,000
Location Quotient:	1.46

Best states for a service dog trainer

10 best states for service dog trainers in 2025

1. Kentucky

2. New York

3. Oregon

4. Pennsylvania

5. Mississippi

6. Utah

7. California

8. Rhode Island

9. Connecticut

10. North Dakota