Also called: Dolphin Trainer, Sea Lion Trainer
Trains and cares for dolphins, sea lions, and other marine mammals at aquariums and research centers.
Spends the morning in a wetsuit preparing buckets of fish and training a sea lion to open its mouth for a dental check, then does a public presentation. Extremely competitive: strong swimmers with biology degrees often wait years.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in biology or psychology, scuba certification, strong swimming, and internships.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Marine Biology, Fisheries Science, Biology, Oceanography, Psychology.
Growing slowly. Very competitive; few positions.
Low risk for 10 years. No AI or robot is getting in the pool with dolphins; training and care stay human, though jobs are few and competitive.
Classes: AP Psychology, Biology, Swimming or lifeguard training, Speech & debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 39-2011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.