Animal Careers and Salaries

If you are not the type who likes to work in an office and have a love of animals, then consider a career working with animals. You have many options available. Some animal careers will require you to obtain a degree while others require only a love of animals and a dedication to caring for their needs.

Veterinarian

Veterinarians diagnose and treat illness and disease in animals. To become a veterinarian, you should start preparing in high school by taking coursework in science and math. In college, you will want to have a pre-veterinary science major. After college, you must attend a veterinary college to obtain your D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or V.M.D (Veterinary Medical Doctor) degree. Obtaining your veterinary degree will take four years. After this, you must complete a year of internship before you begin your own practice. Salaries start at approximately $30,000 yearly. An experienced veterinarian can make from $70,000 to $100,000 per year.

Marine Biologist

A marine biologist studies plant and animal marine organisms. As a marine biologist, you might study fish populations, manage a marine wildlife preserve or collect living organisms in studies relating to helping cure diseases. You could also study and train marine mammals such as dolphins and whales. You will want to have a college major of marine science or environmental science. As a marine biologist, you can expect to earn from $39,000 to $60,000 per year.

Animal Behaviorist

An animal behaviorist studies animals and their behaviors as they relate to the physical environment. They study ways to help animals adapt to and live in different environments conducive to the animal's survival and reproduction. Educational requirements vary depending upon your specialization. Some degree programs to pursue for a career as an animal behaviorist are behavioral science, ecology, animal husbandry, mammalogy and primatology. You might find a job working for a pharmaceutical company testing the effects of drugs on animals. Many animal behaviorists find jobs conducting research at colleges and universities. Another job opportunity is a curator of a zoo or an aquarium. Salaries for animal behaviorists can range from $35,000 to $95,000 per year.

Animal Breeder

Jobs as an animal breeder include raising purebred horses, dog, birds or other animals. Many people will pay a premium for a purebred animal. Before considering this as a career, there are some issues you should consider such as the expense of boarding, feeding and immunizing the animals. You should provide new owners with the information they will need to offer the animal a suitable home such as the costs involved in caring for their pet. As an animal breeder, you should have knowledge of hereditary diseases that can occur in the particular type of animal you are breeding. As a business owner, your income depends upon your investments and resources. Many people are prepared to pay into the thousands of dollars for a thoroughbred horse.

Dog Groomers

A growing occupation is that of dog groomer. Pet groomers provide shampooing and grooming services and work in a salon or kennel or own their own business. Many vocational schools provide pet grooming courses and certifications. As a dog groomer, you can make from $25,000 to $40,000 per year depending upon your experience, certifications and the size of your business.

Sources:

http://blogs.payscale.com/ask_dr_salary/2007/04/veterinarian_sa.html

http://www.ans.iastate.edu/stud/ugrad/career/careers.html

http://www.aboutbioscience.org/animal_behaviorist.html

http://www.uac.arizona.edu/career/