Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary
- 10th pct
- $30,120
- Middle 50%
- $35,660–$45,710
- 90th pct
- $49,150
The BLS estimates 126,580 Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers jobs in the U.S. with a median base pay of $38,150 ($18.34 an hour) (May 2025, SOC 31-9096). Across 119 metros with published figures, medians range from $23,340 in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR to $49,400 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE126,580 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall U.S. employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · United States
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Where Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earn the most
119 metros · BLS
Highest-paying metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,400 | 2,150 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,210 | 620 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,270 | 350 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $47,150 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $46,990 | 1,740 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,720 | 1,970 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $46,160 | 5,560 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,070 | 4,830 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $45,910 | 1,150 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $45,790 | 1,800 |
Largest metros
| Metro | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $46,160 | 5,560 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,070 | 4,830 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $36,110 | 2,880 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,320 | 2,740 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,640 | 2,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $38,710 | 2,390 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $36,040 | 2,350 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $39,280 | 2,190 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $39,840 | 2,150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,400 | 2,150 |
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All metros (A–Z)
BLS
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · Columbus, OH · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN · New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA · Raleigh-Cary, NC · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Questions
What is the median Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary in the U.S.?
$38,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $35,660–$45,710.
How much do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers make an hour?
The BLS U.S. median is $18.34 an hour (May 2025). The middle half earn $17.15–$21.98 an hour, and the 90th percentile is $23.63. These are straight-time wages, before overtime and shift differentials.
Where do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earn the most?
Highest metro medians: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($49,400), San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($49,210), Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA ($47,270). Cost of living differs, so compare offers locally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025 (metro, state and national estimates). Employer filing counts: U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data FY2026 Q3, visa-sponsored positions only.