Salary
Average Salary: $30,000
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $1,252,440
The waters you're swimming in are going to be crystal clear. Information on exactly what dolphin trainers make, on the other hand, seems a little murkier.
Animal trainers in general (not just dolphin trainers) make on average $15.58 per hour, or $32,400 in a year (source). Salaries for animal trainers seem to be highest in the Northeast (New York, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts) and California.
But what if you're not making your life walking pocket-sized Chihuahuas in the Upper West Side? Or running a boutique overnight doggie salon in Hollywood? What if, for instance, you're an assistant animal trainer at a small aquarium in the metropolitan Midwest? Realistically in that case, you can expect to make around $8 to $10 an hour. At a larger facility, like SeaWorld, you might start out making around $12 an hour (source).
The kinds of animals you're working with have the greatest impact on your salary. Typically, killer whale trainers have had the highest salaries (for reasons we'll get into in the "Physical Danger" section...). In short, don't expect to get rich with this job, no matter how much you're willing to sacrifice your personal safety.