Best Dog Obedience Programs in Waterloo, Iowa (2026)

Quick answer: Animal trainers in Iowa earn a median of $43,020 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited animal trainer schools near Waterloo, Iowa with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Several training options serve animal trainer students near Waterloo, Iowa, from short certificates to longer hands-on programs. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $43,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Waterloo Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$43,020BLS OEWS, May 2025
Iowa pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$31,070 to $83,860BLS OEWS, May 2025
Top-paying Iowa metro for this fieldDes Moines, IA, $38,370BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+5.1% growth, about 7,100 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment180 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Black Hawk County unemployment rate3.6%BLS LAUS, 2024
Iowa location quotient0.97BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Animal trainer Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Waterloo. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Black Hawk County and Iowa figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.


Dog Obedience Training Schools near Waterloo

No schools in our database within 250 miles. If this is a mistake, contact us.

Dog Obedience Salary Snapshot

U.S.
U.S. Median Pay $39,990 $19.22 per hour
Job Outlook 5.3% 2,500 jobs (2024–2034)
7,100 openings/yr

Dog-Obedience Salary in U.S.

Median Salary $39,990 $19.22/hr
Average Salary $47,020 $22.61/hr

Salary Range

$29,600 10th pctl
$39,990 Median
$75,490 90th pctl
10th Percentile $29,600 $14.23/hr
25th Percentile $33,740 $16.22/hr
75th Percentile $53,580 $25.76/hr
90th Percentile $75,490 $36.29/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed18,770
Growth (2024-2034)5.3%
Annual Openings7,100
Jobs per 1,0000.1

Animal Trainers (39-2011) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

Next Steps


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.