Ranked list · 18 careers
18 Jobs With Dogs, Ranked by Fit and Pay (2026)
Conservation Detection Dog Handler tops this list at $39,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +4.2% projected employment change over 2025–2035. Below are 18 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
- Careers on this list
- 18From 1,731 in the bank
- Median pay on the list
- $60,035BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Projected to grow
- 18 of 18BLS EP, 2025–2035
- Openings a year
- 263,500Combined, BLS EP
Method
How we built this list
Careers working directly with dogs: veterinary care, grooming, training, K9 handling and service-dog work. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Careers working directly with dogs: veterinary care, grooming, training, K9 handling and service-dog work. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The list
The top 18 jobs with dogs
100% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
- 1
1. Conservation Detection Dog Handler
Specialty within animal trainer
- Median pay
- $39,990median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.2%
- Openings / yr
- 6,500
- Education
- High school
Works with trained dogs that sniff out wildlife scat, invasive species, rare plants or contraband wildlife, collecting samples for conservation research and management.
- 2
2. Veterinarian
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $130,100median a year
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals.
- 3
3. Veterinary Behaviorist
Specialty within veterinarian
- Median pay
- $130,100median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A board-certified veterinarian who diagnoses and treats behavior problems in animals, such as aggression, anxiety and compulsive disorders, using medicine and behavior modification.
- 4
4. Veterinary Dentist
Specialty within veterinarian
- Median pay
- $130,100median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A board-certified veterinarian who performs advanced dental and oral surgery on animals, including root canals, orthodontics, jaw fracture repair and oral tumor removal.
- 5
5. Veterinary Dermatologist
Specialty within veterinarian
- Median pay
- $130,100median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A board-certified veterinarian who diagnoses and treats skin, ear, coat and allergic disease in pets, horses and other animals, usually on referral from a general practice vet.
- 6
6. Veterinary Oncologist
Specialty within veterinarian
- Median pay
- $130,100median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A board-certified veterinarian who diagnoses and treats cancer in animals using chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, working alongside surgeons and owners.
- 7
7. Veterinary Ophthalmologist
Specialty within veterinarian
- Median pay
- $130,100median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
A board-certified veterinarian who diagnoses eye disease in animals and performs eye surgery such as cataract removal, from dogs and cats to horses and zoo animals.
- 8
8. Custom and Border Protection Officer
Protective Service
- Median pay
- $76,210median a year
- Growth
- +3.5%
- Openings / yr
- 51,500
- Education
- High school
Investigate and inspect persons, common carriers, goods, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the United States or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.
- 9
9. Police Officer
Protective Service
- Median pay
- $76,210median a year
- Growth
- +3.5%
- Openings / yr
- 51,500
- Education
- High school
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
- 10
10. Applied Animal Behaviorist
Specialty within animal scientist
- Median pay
- $68,940median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +5.8%
- Openings / yr
- 200
- Education
- Doctorate
A scientist trained in animal behavior who diagnoses and resolves behavior problems in pets, zoo animals and other species through behavior modification and consultation.
- 11
11. Animal Breeder
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Median pay
- $51,130median a year
- Growth
- +3.0%
- Openings / yr
- 1,000
- Education
- High school
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.
- 12
12. Canine Rehabilitation Therapist
Specialty within veterinary technician
- Median pay
- $47,380median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 13,400
- Education
- Associate's
A veterinary technician, physical therapist or veterinarian with advanced training who provides physical therapy for dogs recovering from surgery, injury or arthritis.
- 13
13. Veterinary Dental Technician
Specialty within veterinary technician
- Median pay
- $47,380median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 13,400
- Education
- Associate's
A credentialed veterinary technician who specializes in animal dentistry, performing dental cleanings, dental radiographs and charting, and assisting with oral surgery.
- 14
14. Veterinary Technician
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $47,380median a year
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 13,400
- Education
- Associate's
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals.
- 15
15. Animal Control Worker
Protective Service
- Median pay
- $45,660median a year
- Growth
- +4.0%
- Openings / yr
- 1,500
- Education
- High school
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
- 16
16. Animal Trainer
Personal Care and Service
- Median pay
- $39,990median a year
- Growth
- +4.2%
- Openings / yr
- 6,500
- Education
- High school
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities.
- 17
17. Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $38,150median a year
- Growth
- +9.1%
- Openings / yr
- 23,200
- Education
- High school
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics.
- 18
18. Animal Caretaker
Personal Care and Service
- Median pay
- $35,360median a year
- Growth
- +12.1%
- Openings / yr
- 62,800
- Education
- High school
Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or…
Questions
Jobs With Dogs: FAQ
What is the top career on the jobs with dogs list?
Conservation Detection Dog Handler leads the list with a median wage of $39,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +4.2% over 2025–2035. Typical entry-level education is high school.
How was this list put together?
Careers working directly with dogs: veterinary care, grooming, training, K9 handling and service-dog work. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Careers working directly with dogs: veterinary care, grooming, training, K9 handling and service-dog work. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and O*NET 31.0 Database.
How much do jobs with dogs pay?
Across the 18 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $60,035 a year, from $35,360 at the bottom to $130,100 at the top (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
8 of the 18 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035).