Animal Breeders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for animal breeders in the U.S. is $51,130 ($24.58 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $51,130
- Mean annual wage
- $57,010
- Median hourly wage
- $24.58
- Employment
- 1,330
1,330 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| 25th percentile | $44,320 | $21.31 |
| Median (50th) | $51,130 | $24.58 |
| 75th percentile | $62,080 | $29.85 |
| 90th percentile | $90,550 | $43.53 |
Highest-paying states for animal breeders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $68,980 | 80 |
| California | $59,280 | 410 |
| Alabama | $53,200 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $51,130 | 40 |
| Texas | $48,410 | 60 |
| New York | $48,350 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $47,900 | 170 |
| South Dakota | $44,850 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $40,220 | 40 |
Lowest-paying states
- Nebraska: $40,220 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $44,850 median annual wage
- Minnesota: $47,900 median annual wage
- New York: $48,350 median annual wage
- Texas: $48,410 median annual wage
About this occupation
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
Typical tasks
- Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
- Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
- Brand, tattoo, or tag animals to allow animal identification.
- Treat minor injuries and ailments and contact veterinarians to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Measure specified amounts of semen into calibrated syringes, and insert syringes into inseminating guns.
- Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 46.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 28.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 10.7% |
| Associate's degree | 4.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 7.8% |
| Master's degree | 1.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
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- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670
- Agricultural Equipment Operators$41,730
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$59,320
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,730
- Logging Equipment Operators$49,740
- Agricultural Inspectors$49,940
- Forest and Conservation Workers$43,680
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.