Animal Trainers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $80,990 or more. The middle half of animal trainers in Chicago earn between $36,440 and $60,990.
- $32K10th
- $36K25th
- $47KMedian
- $61K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $50,260 | $4,188 | $24.16 |
| Median | $46,890 | $3,908 | $22.54 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,440 | $3,037 | $17.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,990 | $5,082 | $29.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Animal Trainers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $50,260, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $40,217 a year, or $3,351 a month and $1,547 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $41,086 | $3,424 |
| Working in IL | $40,217 | $3,351 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for animal trainers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $50,260 buys what about $48,516 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Animal Trainers salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$42,110
- Madison, WI$50,620
- Grand Rapids, MI$35,670
- Indianapolis, IN$58,350
- Oshkosh, WI$41,450
- Bloomington, IN$51,870
Highest-paying cities for animal trainers
Virginia Beach, VA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($76,380).
- Virginia Beach, VA$76,380
- Washington, DC$68,840
- Colorado Springs, CO$68,260
- San Francisco, CA$65,520
- Santa Maria, CA$62,820
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Animal Trainers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do animal trainers make an hour in Chicago?
$24.16 an hour on average, and $22.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level animal trainers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,440, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the animal trainers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $40,217 a year ($3,351 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $50,260.
Do animal trainers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($48,800).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 39-2011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.7%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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