Animal psychologist is a common search term, but professionals in this field are more often called animal behaviorists or applied animal behaviorists. They study how animals behave, communicate, and respond to their environment, working across research, applied practice, and academia. The Animal Behavior Society offers two credentials: the ACAAB (master’s level) and the CAAB, which requires a doctoral degree.
Most people picture dog trainers or zookeepers with a fancier title. Animal psychology is closer to behavioral science applied across species, covering the same core questions about learning, communication, and environmental response that drive experimental psychology, but applied to animals rather than humans. Although “animal psychologist” is the term most people search, professionals in this field typically go by animal behaviorist, applied animal behaviorist, or comparative psychologist. The practitioners who do this work range from laboratory researchers studying rodent cognition to applied behaviorists helping a zoo elephant adjust to a new enclosure.
What Does an Animal Psychologist Do?
The work splits into two broad tracks. Research-focused animal psychologists study how animals communicate, form social hierarchies, learn new behaviors, and respond to stimuli and environmental changes. They design experiments, analyze behavioral data, and publish findings. Some conduct naturalistic observation, traveling to study species in the wild. University labs and government-funded research programs are common employers in this track.
In applied settings, animal psychologists work directly with animals that exhibit behavioral problems, such as aggression, anxiety, repetitive behaviors, or difficulty adapting to captivity or new environments. The process mirrors behavioral assessment in clinical psychology. They observe the animal, determine whether the behavior falls outside normal range for that species, and design a modification plan. The main difference is that the client can’t describe their symptoms, so animal psychologists rely on behavioral observation, environmental analysis, and sometimes physiological data to fill that gap.
What Education Does an Animal Psychologist Need?
A bachelor’s degree in psychology, biology, animal behavior, zoology, or a related science is the entry point. But most credentialed positions in research or applied practice require a master’s or doctoral degree. Graduate programs relevant to this field span animal behavior, ethology, biology, zoology, ecology, neuroscience, and psychology. The field draws from multiple disciplines, and degree titles vary accordingly.
The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) offers two professional credentials. The Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (ACAAB) is generally attainable with a master’s degree and relevant professional experience. The Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) requires a doctoral degree along with extensive professional experience. The CAAB is the higher credential and the benchmark for independent applied practice and research leadership. If you’re mapping out the training path, see our guide on how to become an animal behaviorist.
Where Do Animal Psychologists Work?
Work settings span a wide range. Research positions exist at universities, government agencies, private laboratories, zoos, aquariums, and natural history museums. Applied roles draw animal psychologists to animal shelters, training facilities, livestock and equine operations, veterinary practices, and wildlife rehabilitation organizations.
Those with doctoral degrees often hold faculty positions, teaching and running research in comparative psychology or animal science departments. Others build private consulting practices, working with individual animal owners or contracting with zoological institutions. A smaller segment works in applied animal welfare policy or with conservation programs, using behavioral science to support species preservation efforts.
What Does an Animal Psychologist Earn?
Animal behaviorists are classified under several different Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational categories, including zoologists, biological scientists, postsecondary teachers, and comparative psychologists. Because of this, the BLS does not publish a single dedicated salary figure for the field. Earnings depend heavily on sector and credential level. Academic and government research positions, applied behavioral consulting, and nonprofit conservation work each operate on different pay scales, and doctoral-level roles earn more in every setting than entry-level positions do. For a broader comparison, see psychology careers and salaries across the field.
Find accredited psychology and behavioral science programs to start building your credentials in animal behavior.