State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earn a median of $38,150 per year ($18.34/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 8.7% through 2034, with about 22,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 31-9096Healthcare SupportLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $38,150
- Projected growth
- +8.7%
- Openings a year
- 22,200
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Animal Care Provider, Animal Caregiver, Avian Keeper, Certified Veterinary Assistant, Emergency Veterinary Assistant, Inpatient Technician Assistant.
How much do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers make?
10th percentile$30,120
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$35,660
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$38,150
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$45,710
Upper quartile
90th percentile$49,150
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $38,150 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $18.34/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $40,340 |
| People employed | 126,580 |
Versus all US occupations
At $38,150, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earn 25% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $12,830 a year.
Versus healthcare support occupations
Inside the Healthcare Support group, where the middle occupation pays $44,910, this is 15% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $49,150 or more while the bottom 10% earn $30,120, a gap of 1.6×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Rhode Island pays the most at $49,770, and still leads at $48,661 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $49,770 | $48,661 | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $49,080 | $44,658 | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $46,670 | $44,129 | 2,130 |
| California | $46,260 | $41,781 | 16,080 |
| New Jersey | $46,160 | $42,425 | 3,270 |
| Maine | $45,510 | $46,893 | 690 |
| Minnesota | $45,280 | $45,913 | 1,450 |
| Maryland | $44,770 | $42,655 | 2,220 |
| New York | $44,750 | $41,466 | 5,790 |
| Oregon | $44,370 | $42,927 | 3,170 |
Is Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker a growing career?
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers8.7%
All US occupations3.1%
+8.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers to change 8.7% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.8× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 10,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 22,200 openings are projected each year, 18.8% of the 117,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Increases in consumers’ pet-related spending are expected to drive employment in the veterinary services industry, which employs most veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers. In clinics and other veterinary service establishments, assistants help veterinarians and veterinary technicians and technologists with various procedures. Demand for veterinary assistants is projected to be strong as the demand for these procedures increases.
Also, laboratory animals will continue to be needed as part of the scientific research process to help ensure the safety and efficacy of new medical, surgical, and pharmacological techniques. This is expected to create demand for laboratory animal caretakers.
How to become a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker
Most veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn the occupation on the job. Experience working with or being around animals may be helpful for jobseekers.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers.
- High School Diploma78.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate10.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma6.4%
- Some College Courses3.7%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate0.5%
What does a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker do?
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers handle routine animal care and help scientists, veterinarians, and veterinary technologists and technicians with their daily tasks.
Day-to-day tasks
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
- Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals or disposal of corpses.
- Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
- Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
- Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.
- Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers work
| Veterinary services | 87% |
|---|---|
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 6% |
| Scientific research and development services | 1% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Critical Thinking3.3/5
- Reading Comprehension3.1/5
- Writing3.1/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Active Learning2.9/5
- Mathematics2.8/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Instructing2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Management of Material Resources2.3/5
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Label making software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.3
Investigativeprimary4.3
Artistic1.0
Social3.5
Enterprising1.0
Conventionalprimary4.0
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker: frequently asked questions
How much do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers make?
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earn a median of $38,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 25% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.34/hr. The middle half earn between $35,660 and $45,710. The top 10% earn $49,150 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 78.2% hold high school diploma.
Is Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 22,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker do?
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers handle routine animal care and help scientists, veterinarians, and veterinary technologists and technicians with their daily tasks. A core O*NET task: hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers the most?
The highest state medians for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers are Rhode Island ($49,770), District of Columbia ($49,080), Massachusetts ($46,670) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker?
O*NET scores Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.