Animal Technician, Sr. Salary in the United States

How much does an Animal Technician, Sr. make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Animal Technician, Sr. in the United States is $49,666 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $24.

However, an Animal Technician, Sr.'s salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $57,312
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $45,270 to $53,668
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $41,268
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $45,270 10% $41,268 90% $57,312 75% $53,668 $49,666 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Animal Technician, Sr. Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $53,668 $4,472 $1,032 $26
Average $49,666 $4,139 $955 $24
25th Percentile $45,270 $3,773 $871 $22
Check out Animal Technician, Sr. Job Openings in the United States
Sr Controls Technician

Trane Technologies - Brooklyn Heights, OH

Sr Controls Technician

Trane Technologies - Brooklyn Heights, OH

Senior Commercial HVAC Technician

TDG Facilities, LLC - Cincinnati, OH

Senior Technician

Clearance Jobs - Dayton, OH

Search More Animal Technician, Sr. Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Animal Technician, Sr. Salaries

An Animal Technician, Sr.'s salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Animal Technician, Sr. Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Animal Technician, Sr.'s salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $47,698
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $48,026
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $49,965
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $51,637
  • Expert (over 8 years): $51,936
Levels Salary
Entry Level Animal Technician, Sr.$47,698
Intermediate Level Animal Technician, Sr.$48,026
Senior Level Animal Technician, Sr.$49,965
Specialist Level Animal Technician, Sr.$51,637
Expert Level Animal Technician, Sr.$51,936
$47,698 0 yr
$48,026 < 2 yrs
$49,965 2-4 yrs
$51,637 5-8 yrs
$51,936 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Animal Technician, Sr.s

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $62,644
  • San Francisco: $61,958
  • Oakland: $60,652

What Skills Can Increase an Animal Technician, Sr.'s Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 10.47% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Water Safety (Mentioned in 2.01% Job Postings): Water safety refers to the procedures, precautions and policies associated with safety in, on, and around bodies of water, where there is a risk of injury or drowning
  • Fundraising (Mentioned in 1.09% Job Postings): Fundraising or fund-raising (also known as "development" or "advancement") is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gather money for non-profit organizations, it is sometimes used to refer to the identification and solicitation of investors or other sources of capital for for-profit enterprises. Traditionally, fundraising consisted mostly of asking for donations on the street or at people's doors, and this is experiencing very strong growth in the form of face-to-face fundraising, but new forms of fundraising, such as online fundraising, have emerged in recent years, though these are often based on older methods such as grassroots fundraising.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 10.47%
Water Safety 2.01%
Fundraising 1.09%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Animal Technician, Sr.'s salary.
  • Casting: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Casting
$57,613
16%
Staff Development
$56,123
13%
Chemistry
$55,626
12%
Negotiating
$55,129
11%
Budgeting
$54,136
9%
Coaching
$53,639
8%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Animal Technician, Sr.'s Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Animal Technician, Sr.s enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Animal Technician, Sr. with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $48,783 and $50,386).

Animal Technician, Sr. Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Animal Technician, Sr.
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.1%
High School 27.8%
Associates 40.2%
Bachelors 26.8%
Masters 2.1%
Doctorate 1.0%
view as graph

Animal Technician, Sr. Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Animal Technician, Sr.'s annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Animal Technician, Sr.

Salaries for an Animal Technician, Sr. can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,909 in 2023 to around $48,572 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Animal Technician, Sr. salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Animal Technician, Sr. Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$48,909
2024
$48,990
2025
$48,572
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $48,909
2024 $48,990
2025 $48,572
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Animal Technician, Sr.

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Animal Technician, Sr.

Here are companies hiring for Animal Technician, Sr. and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Animal Technician, Sr. Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Animal Technician, Sr. job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Animal Technician, Sr.

1. Where can an Animal Technician, Sr. earn the most?

An Animal Technician, Sr.'s earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Animal Technician, Sr. earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Animal Technician, Sr. is $62,644.

2. What is the highest pay for Animal Technician, Sr.?

The highest pay for Animal Technician, Sr. is $57,312.

3. What is the lowest pay for Animal Technician, Sr.?

The lowest pay for Animal Technician, Sr. is $41,268.

4. What are the responsibilities of Animal Technician, Sr.?

Provides daily care for research animals of various species. Cleans and disinfects cages and equipment. Monitors the health and well being of the animals, maintains logs of animal diet, behavior, vital signs and other data. Follows standard operating procedures and all biosafety and animal welfare regulations. May perform procedures to collect samples. May transport animals to and from laboratories. Requires a high school diploma. May require Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) or other certification. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Works under moderate supervision. Gaining or has attained full proficiency in a specific area of discipline. Typically requires 1-3 years of related experience.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job