What are the main factors that influence a Dog Behaviorist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Dog Behaviorist's salary?

A Dog Behaviorist's salary grows with experience: an Dog Behaviorist (0-0 years)earns $57,080, an Asst. Professor - Psychology (0-0 years)earns $69,865, an Assoc. Professor - Psychology (0-0 years)earns $82,888, a Professor - Psychology (0-0 years)earns $110,079,

What are the highest paying states for a Dog Behaviorist?

Dog Behaviorist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Dog Behaviorist roles are District of Columbia $61,289, California $61,056, Massachusetts $60,242. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Dog Behaviorist roles make?

Salaries for Dog Behaviorist level roles vary by specialization: Behaviorist: $69,770; Dog Breeder: $59,935; ABA Behaviorist: $59,501; Dog Handler: $47,745; Yard Dog: $47,033.

How do different companies affect a Dog Behaviorist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Dog Behaviorist roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Dog Behaviorist Salary in the United States

How much does a Dog Behaviorist make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Dog Behaviorist in the United States is $55,355 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, a Dog Behaviorist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $69,399
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,074 to $62,706
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $39,534

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Dog Behaviorist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$62,706	$5,225	$1,206	$30
Average	$55,355	$4,613	$1,065	$27
25th Percentile	$47,074	$3,923	$905	$23

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Key Factors That Influence Dog Behaviorist Salaries

A Dog Behaviorist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Dog Behaviorist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Dog Behaviorists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $61,289.
California: $61,056.
Massachusetts: $60,242.

District of Columbia $61,289 California $61,056 Massachusetts $60,242 Washington $60,021 New Jersey $59,999 Alaska $59,921 Connecticut $59,157 New York $58,847

Hawaii $57,857 Rhode Island $57,392 Maryland $57,076 Minnesota $56,644 Colorado $56,478 Illinois $56,423 Oregon $56,212 Delaware $56,058

New Hampshire $55,960 Virginia $55,742 Pennsylvania $55,105 Nevada $54,784 North Dakota $54,679 Michigan $54,513 Wisconsin $54,452 Vermont $54,330

Texas $53,993 Maine $53,971 Arizona $53,937 Ohio $53,899 Georgia $53,389 Indiana $53,135 Wyoming $53,085 Utah $53,007

Iowa $52,974 Kansas $52,709 Louisiana $52,631 North Carolina $52,603 Missouri $52,592 Florida $52,376 Montana $52,260 Nebraska $52,149

Kentucky $52,089 South Carolina $51,867 Tennessee $51,729 Idaho $51,673 New Mexico $51,269 Oklahoma $51,181 Alabama $50,854 South Dakota $50,306

Arkansas $50,007 West Virginia $49,847 Mississippi $49,365

Top Paying Cities for Dog Behaviorists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $69,819
San Francisco: $69,054
Oakland: $67,599

San Jose, CA $69,819

San Francisco, CA $69,054

Oakland, CA $67,599

New York, NY $63,735

Paramus, NJ $62,960

Queens Village, NY $62,957

Passaic, NJ $62,904

Bergenfield, NJ $62,899

Stamford, CT $62,778

Huntington, NY $62,755

Newark, NJ $62,346

Bridgeport, CT $62,229

Vallejo, CA $62,119

New Brunswick, NJ $62,097

Petaluma, CA $62,063

Middlesex, NJ $61,958

Somerset, NJ $61,920

Santa Cruz, CA $61,848

Boston, MA $61,510

Monterey, CA $61,316

Seattle, WA $61,189

Santa Rosa, CA $61,178

Los Angeles, CA $61,161

Juneau, AK $61,017

Washington, DC $60,956

Orange, CA $60,759

Santa Ana, CA $60,613

Long Beach, CA $60,558

Anaheim, CA $60,547

Anchorage, AK $60,519

Santa Maria, CA $60,353

Everett, WA $60,342

Danbury, CT $60,147

Bremerton, WA $60,071

Tacoma, WA $59,871

New Suffolk, NY $59,870

Sacramento, CA $59,855

Santa Barbara, CA $59,794

Trenton, NJ $59,733

San Diego, CA $59,733

Brockton, MA $59,672

Fairbanks, AK $59,537

Lompoc, CA $59,395

Lowell, MA $59,351

Ventura, CA $59,340

Nashua, NH $59,329

Stockton, CA $59,323

Modesto, CA $58,919

Poughkeepsie, NY $58,798

Olympia, WA $58,692

Kennewick, WA $58,692

New Haven, CT $58,670

Lawrence, MA $58,471

Hartford, CT $58,416

Riverside, CA $58,405

New Bedford, MA $58,349

Richland, WA $58,349

Bakersfield, CA $58,272

San Bernardino, CA $58,250

New Britain, CT $58,244

Atlantic City, NJ $58,244

New London, CT $58,222

Norwich, CT $58,205

Portsmouth, NH $58,194

Boulder, CO $58,077

Portland, OR $58,000

Worcester, MA $57,995

Minneapolis, MN $57,823

Philadelphia, PA $57,746

Honolulu, HI $57,563

Saint Paul, MN $57,537

Vineland, NJ $57,524

Providence, RI $57,364

Chicago, IL $57,203

Bellingham, WA $57,137

Springfield, MA $57,093

Baltimore, MD $57,076

Chico, CA $56,938

Pittsfield, MA $56,788

Manchester, NH $56,683

Spokane, WA $56,439

Denver, CO $56,434

Albany, NY $56,174

Troy, NY $56,152

Nassau, NY $56,092

Schenectady, NY $56,035

Wilmington, DE $55,991

Burlington, VT $55,914

Salem, OR $55,891

Portland, ME $55,720

Yakima, WA $55,664

Rochester, MN $55,493

Reno, NV $55,465

Fresno, CA $55,465

Milwaukee, WI $55,415

Detroit, MI $55,360

Ann Arbor, MI $55,351

Allentown, PA $55,343

Colorado Springs, CO $55,249

Syracuse, NY $55,222

Carson City, NV $55,222

Houston, TX $55,144

Eugene, OR $55,116

Gary, IN $55,050

Springfield, OR $55,006

Bismarck, ND $54,995

Galveston, TX $54,956

Medford, OR $54,873

Fort Collins, CO $54,851

Concord, NH $54,823

Austin, TX $54,806

Mesa, AZ $54,690

Reading, PA $54,685

Phoenix, AZ $54,679

Dallas, TX $54,663

Saint Cloud, MN $54,609

Madison, WI $54,535

Utica, NY $54,386

Rochester, NY $54,297

Des Moines, IA $54,292

Raleigh, NC $54,286

Atlanta, GA $54,203

Battle Creek, MI $54,187

Salt Lake City, UT $54,170

Lancaster, PA $54,087

Harrisburg, PA $54,009

Kansas City, MO $53,954

Champaign, IL $53,943

Kansas City, KS $53,943

Fort Worth, TX $53,937

Columbus, OH $53,928

Boca Raton, FL $53,915

Pittsburgh, PA $53,893

Richmond, VA $53,871

Indianapolis, IN $53,860

Cleveland, OH $53,854

Las Vegas, NV $53,788

Cincinnati, OH $53,788

Petersburg, VA $53,705

Huntsville, AL $53,622

Lansing, MI $53,585

Lebanon, PA $53,578

Pueblo, CO $53,572

Appleton, WI $53,555

Buffalo, NY $53,533

Dayton, OH $53,517

Racine, WI $53,506

Charlotte, NC $53,500

Saint Louis, MO $53,484

York, PA $53,450

Elkhart, IN $53,450

Gastonia, NC $53,440

Billings, MT $53,427

Beaumont, TX $53,412

Lorain, OH $53,400

Benton Harbor, MI $53,389

Toledo, OH $53,378

Binghamton, NY $53,351

Rock Hill, SC $53,345

Rockford, IL $53,317

Springfield, IL $53,295

Elyria, OH $53,290

Fargo, ND $53,290

Flagstaff, AZ $53,251

Fort Lauderdale, FL $53,218

Duluth, MN $53,185

Miami, FL $53,185

Cheyenne, WY $53,146

Grand Forks, ND $53,146

Bangor, ME $53,024

Cedar Rapids, IA $52,963

Durham, NC $52,940

Louisville, KY $52,936

Grand Rapids, MI $52,924

Hialeah, FL $52,919

Casper, WY $52,841

Scranton, PA $52,775

New Orleans, LA $52,758

Virginia Beach, VA $52,753

Akron, OH $52,725

Peoria, IL $52,653

Sarasota, FL $52,642

Nashville, TN $52,603

Omaha, NE $52,603

Green Bay, WI $52,603

Baton Rouge, LA $52,576

Charleston, SC $52,565

Jamestown, NY $52,537

Davenport, IA $52,537

Tucson, AZ $52,509

Saint Petersburg, FL $52,476

Tampa, FL $52,465

Evansville, IN $52,432

Port Arthur, TX $52,432

Bradenton, FL $52,410

Santa Fe, NM $52,310

Orlando, FL $52,210

Clearwater, FL $52,194

Canton, OH $52,078

La Crosse, WI $52,078

Albuquerque, NM $52,044

Newport News, VA $52,039

High Point, NC $52,022

Ogden, UT $52,000

Corpus Christi, TX $51,956

Norfolk, VA $51,923

Laramie, WY $51,923

Rock Island, IL $51,889

Saginaw, MI $51,878

Jacksonville, FL $51,873

Salisbury, NC $51,862

Boise, ID $51,851

Moline, IL $51,823

Fort Myers, FL $51,806

Memphis, TN $51,795

Tulsa, OK $51,768

Waterloo, IA $51,734

Spartanburg, SC $51,679

Lincoln, NE $51,651

Fort Wayne, IN $51,640

Provo, UT $51,635

Cedar Falls, IA $51,568

San Antonio, TX $51,546

Greensboro, NC $51,524

South Bend, IN $51,518

Savannah, GA $51,458

Muskegon, MI $51,435

Birmingham, AL $51,430

Winston Salem, NC $51,403

Lake Charles, LA $51,269

Anderson, IN $51,258

Lexington, KY $51,242

Augusta, GA $51,225

Greenville, SC $51,225

Lima, OH $51,181

Wichita, KS $51,175

Tuscaloosa, AL $51,175

Columbia, SC $51,125

Springfield, OH $51,114

Asheville, NC $51,026

Bloomington, IN $50,987

Knoxville, TN $50,788

Shreveport, LA $50,782

Wilmington, NC $50,710

Roanoke, VA $50,710

Topeka, KS $50,611

Frankfort, KY $50,605

Oklahoma City, OK $50,566

Chillicothe, OH $50,544

Longview, TX $50,539

Melbourne, FL $50,533

Sioux Falls, SD $50,445

Mobile, AL $50,439

Terre Haute, IN $50,417

Altoona, PA $50,384

Amarillo, TX $50,345

Killeen, TX $50,328

Fayetteville, AR $50,284

Chattanooga, TN $50,267

Sioux City, IA $50,218

Idaho Falls, ID $50,207

Lynchburg, VA $50,162

Gainesville, FL $50,090

Portsmouth, OH $50,063

Little Rock, AR $50,052

Lafayette, LA $50,029

Youngstown, OH $50,029

Daytona Beach, FL $49,996

Clarksville, TN $49,991

Pensacola, FL $49,985

Temple, TX $49,981

Hopkinsville, KY $49,819

Erie, PA $49,808

Florence, SC $49,786

Charleston, WV $49,697

Great Falls, MT $49,670

Macon, GA $49,592

Tallahassee, FL $49,587

Fayetteville, NC $49,575

Waco, TX $49,564

Helena, MT $49,526

Pine Bluff, AR $49,505

Vincennes, IN $49,437

Lubbock, TX $49,415

Alamogordo, NM $49,382

Twin Falls, ID $49,332

Rapid City, SD $49,315

Jackson, MS $49,216

Huntington, WV $49,212

Greenville, MS $49,210

Parkersburg, WV $49,154

Montgomery, AL $49,144

Wichita Falls, TX $49,088

Springfield, MO $49,088

Biloxi, MS $49,061

Monroe, LA $49,005

Johnstown, PA $48,967

Sumter, SC $48,944

Columbus, GA $48,939

Pascagoula, MS $48,834

Abilene, TX $48,834

Kingsport, TN $48,690

Albany, GA $48,690

Gulfport, MS $48,673

Alexandria, LA $48,491

Fort Smith, AR $48,352

El Paso, TX $48,203

Las Cruces, NM $47,954

Harlingen, TX $47,813

Pocatello, ID $47,804

Florence, AL $47,732

Brownsville, TX $47,721

Mcallen, TX $47,605

Dothan, AL $47,527

Columbus, MS $47,199

Altus, OK $46,941

Lawton, OK $46,835

Pierre, SD $46,636

What Skills Can Increase a Dog Behaviorist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 12.83% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Spring (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Spring is the season during which the natural world revives and reinvigorates after the colder winter months. During spring, dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground and hibernating animals awake.
Safety Standards (Mentioned in 1.43% Job Postings): Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	12.83%
Spring	1.96%
Safety Standards	1.43%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Dog Behaviorist's salary.

First Aid: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Patient Care: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
CPR: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
First Aid	$66,425	20%
Patient Care	$63,104	14%
CPR	$63,104	14%
Facilitation	$62,551	13%
Pediatric	$61,997	12%
Coordination	$61,997	12%

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How Education impacts a Dog Behaviorist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Dog Behaviorists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Dog Behaviorist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $50,635 and $59,037).

Dog Behaviorist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Dog Behaviorist

No Diploma 12.5%

High School 71.9%

Associates 12.5%

Bachelors 12.5%

Masters 71.9%

Doctorate 12.5%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	12.5%
High School	71.9%
Associates	12.5%
Bachelors	12.5%
Masters	71.9%
Doctorate	12.5%

view as graph

Dog Behaviorist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Dog Behaviorist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$47,074

Average $55,355/year

$62,706

$3,923

Average $4,613/month

$5,225

$905

Average $1,065/week

$1,206

$23

Average $27/hour

$30

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$62,706	$5,225	$1,206	$30
Average	$55,355	$4,613	$1,065	$27
25th Percentile	$47,074	$3,923	$905	$23

Salaries of jobs related to Dog Behaviorist

Salary Trends for Dog Behaviorist

Salaries for a Dog Behaviorist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,872 in 2023 to around $53,967 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Dog Behaviorist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Dog Behaviorist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$55,872

2024

$55,158

2025

$53,967

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$55,872
2024	$55,158
2025	$53,967
2026	View More
2027	View More

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