SOC 31-9096 · Healthcare Support Occupations
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers wages by metro
National median annual wage
$38,150
- 10th percentile
- $30,120
- 25th percentile
- $35,660
- Median
- $38,150
- 75th percentile
- $45,710
- 90th percentile
- $49,150
- Mean
- $40,340
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 126,580.
That median is 25.2% lower than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,150 | $43,820 | $49,400 | $59,210 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 620 | $44,820 | $49,210 | $58,340 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 60 | $39,050 | $49,200 | $50,070 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 350 | $39,420 | $47,270 | $58,370 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 200 | $39,100 | $47,150 | $58,510 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,740 | $38,340 | $46,990 | $60,780 |
| Salinas, CA | 160 | $38,260 | $46,990 | $57,070 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,970 | $37,850 | $46,720 | $57,400 |
| Vallejo, CA | 130 | $38,590 | $46,590 | $49,990 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,560 | $39,200 | $46,160 | $57,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,830 | $37,990 | $46,070 | $57,760 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,150 | $37,330 | $45,910 | $49,060 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,800 | $36,160 | $45,790 | $63,420 |
| Napa, CA | 50 | $39,920 | $45,710 | $60,790 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,890 | $38,920 | $45,690 | $55,140 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,400 | $42,600 | $45,640 | $58,060 |
| Modesto, CA | 230 | $37,570 | $45,560 | $56,200 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 480 | $37,400 | $45,530 | $56,090 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 210 | $37,580 | $45,490 | $55,880 |
| Yuba City, CA | 50 | $36,960 | $45,490 | $54,830 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 380 | $35,510 | $49,770 | $50,130 |
| District of Columbia | 240 | $46,570 | $49,080 | $72,840 |
| Massachusetts | 2,130 | $35,460 | $46,670 | $63,130 |
| California | 16,080 | $37,800 | $46,260 | $57,940 |
| New Jersey | 3,270 | $36,720 | $46,160 | $57,670 |
| Maine | 690 | $37,380 | $45,510 | $59,790 |
| Minnesota | 1,450 | $36,410 | $45,280 | $49,060 |
| Maryland | 2,220 | $37,150 | $44,770 | $60,710 |
| New York | 5,790 | $36,450 | $44,750 | $53,460 |
| Oregon | 3,170 | $36,480 | $44,370 | $49,470 |
| Connecticut | 1,390 | $35,920 | $44,250 | $59,950 |
| Washington | 4,380 | $38,470 | $44,150 | $55,050 |
| Hawaii | 570 | $35,200 | $44,070 | $49,400 |
| Colorado | 2,910 | $35,710 | $38,900 | $47,450 |
| Delaware | Not available | $34,680 | $38,610 | $57,930 |
| Montana | 550 | $29,430 | $38,340 | $45,220 |
| Arizona | 3,340 | $35,530 | $38,250 | $47,460 |
| Michigan | 4,420 | $30,410 | $37,960 | $46,730 |
| Wyoming | 150 | $30,610 | $37,880 | $39,080 |
| Florida | 6,790 | $31,090 | $37,830 | $47,270 |
| Utah | 580 | $31,890 | $37,560 | $49,100 |
| Idaho | 680 | $24,230 | $37,530 | $44,730 |
| New Mexico | 520 | $29,870 | $37,500 | $48,310 |
| Illinois | 3,270 | $31,550 | $37,480 | $47,000 |
| Virginia | 4,810 | $30,430 | $37,450 | $48,580 |
| Vermont | 370 | $30,690 | $37,290 | $45,880 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $33,800 | $37,160 | $46,830 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,760 | $30,010 | $37,140 | $47,200 |
| North Carolina | 6,910 | $28,830 | $37,070 | $46,470 |
| South Carolina | 1,720 | $27,390 | $36,980 | $48,630 |
| Nevada | 1,380 | $35,920 | $36,920 | $47,910 |
| New Hampshire | 770 | $29,160 | $36,910 | $45,690 |
| Wisconsin | 2,200 | $30,400 | $36,850 | $45,630 |
| Missouri | 2,010 | $30,280 | $36,660 | $45,940 |
| Alaska | 130 | $27,690 | $36,490 | $47,010 |
| Indiana | 2,810 | $29,580 | $36,420 | $44,780 |
| Ohio | 4,640 | $29,330 | $36,340 | $47,070 |
| Tennessee | 3,530 | $30,230 | $36,320 | $43,700 |
| Nebraska | 900 | $29,930 | $36,100 | $42,050 |
| Georgia | 4,570 | $29,210 | $35,850 | $44,810 |
| Alabama | 1,240 | $27,970 | $35,800 | $43,360 |
| Iowa | 1,380 | $29,440 | $35,720 | $47,220 |
| Kansas | 1,570 | $28,720 | $35,680 | $47,930 |
| Oklahoma | 1,740 | $23,170 | $34,850 | $46,810 |
| Texas | 8,440 | $24,070 | $34,850 | $46,890 |
| South Dakota | 250 | $28,390 | $34,700 | $36,700 |
| Arkansas | 1,460 | $27,860 | $34,570 | $42,180 |
| Kentucky | 1,840 | $26,520 | $34,140 | $45,430 |
| West Virginia | 730 | $25,830 | $32,350 | $38,040 |
| Louisiana | 1,230 | $28,400 | $30,480 | $37,510 |
| Mississippi | 560 | $26,060 | $30,360 | $45,440 |
| Puerto Rico | 430 | $21,840 | $23,310 | $38,310 |
Other healthcare support occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- Nursing Assistants
- Medical Assistants
- Dental Assistants
- Phlebotomists
- Physical Therapist Assistants
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
- Massage Therapists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers is $38,150. Employment is 126,580.
How does Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers is 25.2% lower than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest on this page's list at $49,400.