What Does a Laboratory Animal Technician Do?
For researchers, veterinarians, and the committees that oversee animal studies, laboratory animal technicians ensure the health and comfort of the mice, rats, fish and other animals in their care. They make sure that care protocols are followed, and cages, food and water are clean and checked on time. The work usually takes place in university animal facilities, drug company labs and government research centers.
Also known as: Senior Animal Technician, Lab Animal Care Technician, Lab Animal Health Technician, Animal Technologist, Animal Technician
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Animal Care Provider, Animal Caregiver, Avian Keeper, Certified Veterinary Assistant, Emergency Veterinary Assistant, Inpatient Technician Assistant, Kennel Vet Assistant (Kennel Veterinary Assistant), Research Animal Attendant.
Laboratory Animal Technician Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a laboratory animal technician include:
- Check every cage daily for food, water, bedding and signs of illness or injury.
- Change cages and bedding on schedule and run soiled racks through the cage washer.
- Record health observations, census counts and room temperatures in the facility database.
- Report sick or injured animals to the attending veterinarian and give treatments as directed.
- Set up breeding pairs, wean litters and keep colony records for genetically modified mouse lines.
- Weigh animals, collect blood or urine samples and assist researchers with study procedures.
- Follow protocols approved by the IACUC, the committee that reviews animal studies, and every gowning rule.
- Sanitize rooms, racks and equipment and restock feed, bedding and protective gear.
- Provide enrichment such as nesting material and shelters that let animals behave naturally.
- Show new technicians safe handling, restraint and barrier procedures in senior grades.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a laboratory animal technician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- AALAS certification (ALAT, LAT or LATG)
- Gentle, confident handling and restraint of rodents and rabbits
- Aseptic technique and barrier gowning
- Colony management software and careful record-keeping
- A sharp eye for early signs of distress
- Stamina for lifting cages and working on your feet all shift
- Comfort with the ethics of animal research
- Reliability for weekend and holiday rotations
Education and Training
Laboratory animal technicians usually learn on the job after a high school diploma, but some start out by working as kennel hands or veterinary assistants. Many facilities expect new staff to become AALAS certified. With experience, you could progress from the entry grade to senior technician or technologist, or move into supervising a facility's animal care staff.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $35,660 - $45,710 per year, with a median of $38,150.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers.
According to BLS, employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers is projected to grow about 9 percent from 2025 to 2035. Those figures cover veterinary assistants too, so many of the roughly 23,200 openings a year will be in animal clinics. Hiring in research often is tied to the state of grant funding, but technicians will be needed as long as universities and drug makers run animal studies.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers.
Laboratory Animal Technician Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $30,120 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $35,660 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $38,150 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $45,710 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $49,150 |
Highest-Paying States for Laboratory Animal Technicians
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Rhode Island ($49,770), District of Columbia ($49,080), Massachusetts ($46,670), California ($46,260), New Jersey ($46,160). Pay is lowest in West Virginia ($32,350), Louisiana ($30,480), Mississippi ($30,360).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,800 |
| Alaska | $36,490 |
| Arizona | $38,250 |
| Arkansas | $34,570 |
| California | $46,260 |
| Colorado | $38,900 |
| Connecticut | $44,250 |
| Delaware | $38,610 |
| District of Columbia | $49,080 |
| Florida | $37,830 |
| Georgia | $35,850 |
| Hawaii | $44,070 |
| Idaho | $37,530 |
| Illinois | $37,480 |
| Indiana | $36,420 |
| Iowa | $35,720 |
| Kansas | $35,680 |
| Kentucky | $34,140 |
| Louisiana | $30,480 |
| Maine | $45,510 |
| Maryland | $44,770 |
| Massachusetts | $46,670 |
| Michigan | $37,960 |
| Minnesota | $45,280 |
| Mississippi | $30,360 |
| Missouri | $36,660 |
| Montana | $38,340 |
| Nebraska | $36,100 |
| Nevada | $36,920 |
| New Hampshire | $36,910 |
| New Jersey | $46,160 |
| New Mexico | $37,500 |
| New York | $44,750 |
| North Carolina | $37,070 |
| North Dakota | $37,160 |
| Ohio | $36,340 |
| Oklahoma | $34,850 |
| Oregon | $44,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,140 |
| Rhode Island | $49,770 |
| South Carolina | $36,980 |
| South Dakota | $34,700 |
| Tennessee | $36,320 |
| Texas | $34,850 |
| Utah | $37,560 |
| Vermont | $37,290 |
| Virginia | $37,450 |
| Washington | $44,150 |
| West Virginia | $32,350 |
| Wisconsin | $36,850 |
| Wyoming | $37,880 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% spend more than half the workday on their feet
- 98% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 98% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 82% spend more than half the day walking or moving around
- 71% are exposed to disease or infection every day
- 68% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
- 67% are on the phone every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 78% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 11% |
| Less than high school | 6% |
Tools and Software Laboratory Animal Technicians Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as analyzing problems and working with ideas.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Monitoring, Service Orientation.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Biology, Administrative, Medicine and Dentistry.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 31-9096.00 (Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.