Laboratory Animal Science & Research

Caring for the animals that make medical research possible, with a strong focus on their welfare and humane treatment.

Top pay: highest pay, longest training

• Laboratory Animal Veterinarian: Oversees the health and humane care of animals used in biomedical research. Typical pay $165k.
• Director of Animal Research Facilities: Leads an institution's entire animal research program, from vets to caretakers to regulatory compliance. Typical pay $210k.
• Veterinary Toxicologist: Studies how chemicals, drugs, and poisons affect animals, and helps test the safety of new medicines. Typical pay $150k.
• In Vivo Pharmacologist: Scientist who tests new medicines in animal models before human trials. Typical pay $130k.

Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship

• Animal Facility Manager: Runs the daily operations of a research animal facility. Typical pay $78k.
• IACUC Coordinator: Manages the committee that reviews and approves every research study involving animals. Typical pay $68k.
• Transgenic Animal Technician: Creates genetically modified mice and other animal models used to study diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. Typical pay $62k.
• Research Animal Surgical Technician: Assists with and sometimes performs surgeries on research animals under veterinary supervision. Typical pay $58k.
• Veterinary Diagnostic Lab Technician: Runs tests on animal samples to diagnose diseases and catch outbreaks. Typical pay $55k.
• Rodent Breeding Colony Manager: Manages breeding of genetically engineered mice used in research. Typical pay $58k.
• GLP Quality Assurance Auditor: Audits animal and lab studies to make sure they follow FDA Good Laboratory Practice rules. Typical pay $82k.
• Small Animal Imaging Technologist: Runs tiny MRI, CT and PET scanners built for mice and rats, so scientists can watch tumors shrink or brains change without surgery. Typical pay $66k.

Starter: fastest way in

• Laboratory Animal Technician: Cares for animals in research facilities and helps with study procedures. Typical pay $40k.
• Cage Wash Technician: Cleans and sterilizes the cages, bottles, and equipment used in animal research facilities. Typical pay $36k.
• Zebrafish Facility Technician: Cares for the thousands of zebrafish used in genetics and disease research. Typical pay $38k.
• Primate Caretaker: Cares for monkeys at research centers and primate sanctuaries. Typical pay $42k.
• Gnotobiotic Technician: Cares for germ-free mice that live in sealed bubbles with zero microbes. Typical pay $46k.
• Necropsy Technician: Performs animal autopsies and collects tissues for research and diagnostic labs. Typical pay $46k.
• Research Animal Enrichment Specialist: Designs toys, puzzles, and activities that keep research animals mentally healthy. Typical pay $44k.
• Horseshoe Crab Bleeding Technician: Collects blue blood from horseshoe crabs, which is turned into a test that checks every vaccine and IV drug for dangerous bacterial toxins. Typical pay $44k.
• Rodent Embryo Cryopreservation Technician: Freezes mouse embryos and sperm in liquid nitrogen so valuable research mouse lines can be stored and revived years later. Typical pay $52k.

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.