Veterinarian Salary, Marine Biologist Salary: Careers in Animal Care

If you're the type who cringes at corporate meetings, loathes dealing with clients and would prefer to avoid humans in general, fear not, there is an option besides hermit-hood: "Ten Jobs That Let You work With Animals" (mentioned at money-making-machines.blogspot.com) lists various animal careers, from a marine biologist salary to a veterinarian salary.

If you're considering a veterinarian career (and veterinarian salary), there is extra schooling required, and once you graduate, the job duties for a veterinarian include diagnosing and treating animals for injuries and disease... so what is the salary of a veterinarian for all this work?  Veterinarians in Houston, Texas, with 5-9 years of experience, earn an average veterinarian salary of $77,000, with a high-end of $95,000. Not quite MD level, but nothing to bark at :-)

How does your salary compare to the Dr. Doolittle’s?  Find out with our salary survey.

What is the Beginning Pay of a Veterinarian?

What about those just starting out in the field of veterinary medicine? What is the beginning pay of a veterinarian? A newbie Massachusetts veterinarian earns an average veterinarian salary of $68,400, up to $87,700. On the other end of the payscale, what if you were an experienced veterinarian in New Jersey? There is not typically a huge upside; average veterinarian salary is $75,900, with a high-end of $107,000/year.

Let's say you want to work with animals, but don’t want to put in all those years of veterinary school?  Well, you might want to take a look into veterinarian assistant salaries (the position is described at petpages.wetpaint.com). If you worked in Houston for our previously mentioned vet, the veterinarian assistant salaries in that area average out to $10.16 per hour with a potential of earning up to $11.64 per hour; not a whole lot of money, but rewarding for those who love animals.

Salaries of Marine Biologists

For those interested in the denizens of the deep, they might want to look into marine biology and marine biologists (one is interviewed at Salary Stories).  What if you want to work on the coast of the Lone Star State? Marine biologists in Texas earn an average salary of $39,000, with a high-end of $46,200 (with 3-9 years of experience).

In the Sunshine State, life is a little brighter: the average marine biologist salary is $50,100 with a potential of $58,000 or more. Where do marine biologists work? As you might expect, many work for the state and federal government, but there is also some work to be had with private environmental consulting companies.

What are the salary ranges for a dog groomers?

Back on land, for those who enjoy making our furry friends look their best, a choice job would be that of a dog groomer (although you may want to avoid the kind mentioned at dogblog.dogster.com). For dog groomers in Connecticut, the average hourly wage is $10.78, but they can make up to $12.71, which is actually a little more than veterinarian assistant salaries in Houston; apparently, it’s better to look good than to feel good.

Still, you may be wondering, “What are the salary ranges for a dog groomers in other parts of the country?” Well, dog groomers in the Bronx (that’s in New York City) earn an average hourly wage of $11.17, with a potential of $12.49. That’s not a huge difference compared to dog groomers in Connecticut. In fact, it may be cheaper to live in Connecticut; a dog groomer there might earn less, but still come out ahead by a (wet) nose.

Average Salary of Animal Trainer

If you’re interested in the behavioral aspects of animals, then a career as an animal trainer might be the ticket. California professional animal trainers earn an average hourly wage of $13.11, with a high range of $16.94. That animal trainer career description would include someone who trains dogs (and some masters) to be obedient.

On the higher end of the animal trainer salary scale is the animal wrangler who works on set in Hollywood. Animal movie trainers can earn hundreds per day, depending on whether the job is a commercial, TV series or feature film. That particular animal trainer career description sounds glamorous and exciting, but there is a lot of pressure to make animals perform on cue; it might be harder than working with people.

How is your salary these days? Is it going to the dogs? Take our free salary survey.

Cheers,

Dr. Al Lee

• Diary of a Depressive Veterinarian - depressivevet.blogspot.com
• Curious about salaries? Email Dr. Salary
• Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Comments

[bianca]

How much education is required for my career? Is there a specific tye of school you have to go to or can you go to any college? What kind of salary can you expect? If your career is a general term like marine biologist, photographer, or astronaut is there a specialized area that you would work in? What are the benifits and drawbacks of the career? List any other interesting facts about your career?

[patti]

My daughter would like to pursue this career. I feel for the amount of studies, and time in college, the veterinarian life and income is not worth it.

She is academically capable of being a doctor for the human species as well and don't know what will convince her to at least look at the opportunities. Salary difference?

She is also looking at specializing in surgery or oncology for animals. your advise and knowledge of vet surgeons?

thanks

[Erica Fowler]

I am doing a research project about how to be a vet and i don't know what to write about, as in what type of vet to do.

[Jeff Lunquist]

I am a stone mason and I am thinking to be a vet if i have all my schooling is as a stone mason will I have to redo my schooling.

[Erica Fowler]

Hi, me again; I have another question. I want to be a indoor vet what do you think I should do for schooling.

[Chel-Cee]

how much is a Veterinarian's normal salary? It's for school and i can't find it anywhere. HELP!

[kristen.m]

What job opportunities exist for a vet, and what is the employment outlook for a vet? What skills are necessary in order to be a vet?

[Ashley]

So you can earn that each in a year?

[Katlyn]

What does it take to become a Marine Biologist? Are there any special science or biology classes I may need to take?

[paucyn]

i have a love bird and my husband left him in the sun for a time and is now acting wierd, i brought him in the house, he seems better but is still acting wierd. what is going on