283 metro areas
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker Salary by City (2026)
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $52,310 a year, against $40,340 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Midland, MI ($48,400 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $40,340BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $52,310San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $48,400Midland, MI
- Metro areas
- 283With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$52,310
- San Francisco, CA$52,120
- Sacramento, CA$50,250
- Boston, MA-NH$48,760
- Santa Cruz, CA$48,260
- Mount Vernon, WA$47,840
- Napa, CA$47,650
- Santa Rosa, CA$47,490
- Seattle, WA$47,090
- New York, NY-NJ$46,900
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $52,310 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $52,120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $50,250 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,760 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $48,260 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $47,840 |
| Napa, CA | $47,650 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $47,090 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $46,900 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Midland, MI$44,490 nominal$48,400
- San Jose, CA$52,310 nominal$47,370
- Sacramento, CA$50,250 nominal$47,110
- Mount Vernon, WA$47,840 nominal$46,700
- Champaign, IL$42,520 nominal$45,870
- Ames, IA$40,330 nominal$45,400
- Barnstable Town, MA$44,370 nominal$45,110
- San Francisco, CA$52,120 nominal$45,080
- Boston, MA-NH$48,760 nominal$45,040
- Waterbury, CT$44,910 nominal$45,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Midland, MI | $48,400 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,110 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $46,700 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $45,870 |
| Ames, IA | $45,400 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $45,110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,080 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $45,040 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $45,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $52,310 | $45,680 | $55,580 | $47,370 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $52,120 | $44,010 | $56,120 | $45,080 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $50,250 | $40,410 | $55,120 | $47,110 |
| 4 | Boston, MA-NH | $48,760 | $35,960 | $55,060 | $45,040 |
| 5 | Santa Cruz, CA | $48,260 | $40,770 | $51,940 | $43,910 |
| 6 | Mount Vernon, WA | $47,840 | $39,710 | $51,830 | $46,700 |
| 7 | Napa, CA | $47,650 | $40,710 | $51,060 | $42,340 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa, CA | $47,490 | $40,710 | $50,840 | $44,060 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $47,090 | $42,310 | $49,440 | $42,370 |
| 10 | New York, NY-NJ | $46,900 | $40,020 | $50,270 | $41,670 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $46,530 | $38,810 | $50,340 | $40,970 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $46,530 | $39,350 | $50,070 | $41,590 |
| 13 | Salinas, CA | $46,340 | $39,540 | $49,690 | $42,500 |
| 14 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $46,070 | $37,440 | $50,320 | $42,310 |
| 15 | Kahului, HI | $45,970 | $38,960 | $49,400 | $42,020 |
| 16 | Portland, OR-WA | $45,490 | $39,040 | $48,650 | $43,150 |
| 17 | Vallejo, CA | $45,390 | $38,900 | $48,590 | $41,840 |
| 18 | Santa Maria, CA | $45,070 | $38,080 | $48,530 | $41,430 |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $45,050 | $37,900 | $48,590 | $43,120 |
| 20 | Worcester, MA | $44,970 | $34,670 | $50,040 | $43,860 |
| 21 | Naples, FL | $44,950 | $37,730 | $48,530 | $43,560 |
| 22 | Waterbury, CT | $44,910 | $36,000 | $49,300 | $45,010 |
| 23 | Oxnard, CA | $44,760 | $37,750 | $48,210 | $40,490 |
| 24 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $44,700 | $38,500 | $47,740 | $42,640 |
| 25 | Portland, ME | $44,600 | $39,350 | $47,170 | $43,790 |
| 26 | Modesto, CA | $44,570 | $37,920 | $47,860 | $42,810 |
| 27 | Bremerton, WA | $44,550 | $39,230 | $47,170 | $42,180 |
| 28 | Midland, MI | $44,490 | $36,420 | $48,460 | $48,400 |
| 29 | Barnstable Town, MA | $44,370 | $36,380 | $48,300 | $45,110 |
| 30 | Trenton, NJ | $44,200 | $36,550 | $47,990 | $42,840 |
| 31 | Bozeman, MT | $43,910 | $37,250 | $47,200 | $42,830 |
| 32 | Yuba City, CA | $43,910 | $38,000 | $46,820 | $42,130 |
| 33 | Riverside, CA | $43,660 | $37,420 | $46,740 | $41,020 |
| 34 | Salem, OR | $43,640 | $37,630 | $46,610 | $42,100 |
| 35 | Bend, OR | $43,620 | $37,920 | $46,450 | $42,100 |
| 36 | Bridgeport, CT | $43,580 | $37,040 | $46,800 | $40,780 |
| 37 | Bellingham, WA | $43,490 | $38,940 | $45,740 | $42,090 |
| 38 | Chico, CA | $43,490 | $37,420 | $46,490 | $42,980 |
| 39 | Redding, CA | $43,470 | $36,900 | $46,700 | $43,170 |
| 40 | Denver, CO | $43,350 | $37,690 | $46,110 | $40,980 |
| 41 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $43,260 | $37,610 | $46,030 | $39,840 |
| 42 | Providence, RI-MA | $43,180 | $35,050 | $47,170 | $42,430 |
| 43 | Hartford, CT | $42,970 | $35,940 | $46,450 | $41,820 |
| 44 | Kennewick, WA | $42,850 | $38,600 | $44,930 | $42,820 |
| 45 | Boulder, CO | $42,720 | $37,880 | $45,120 | $40,610 |
| 46 | Ithaca, NY | $42,720 | $36,650 | $45,720 | $41,350 |
| 47 | Wenatchee, WA | $42,720 | $38,830 | $44,640 | $41,130 |
| 48 | Merced, CA | $42,680 | $36,570 | $45,720 | $43,430 |
| 49 | Fresno, CA | $42,660 | $36,420 | $45,740 | $41,760 |
| 50 | Crestview, FL | $42,560 | $33,880 | $46,840 | $43,860 |
| 51 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $42,540 | $35,340 | $46,070 | $41,480 |
| 52 | Champaign, IL | $42,520 | $32,930 | $47,240 | $45,870 |
| 53 | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,120 | $35,860 | $45,200 | $41,760 |
| 54 | Olympia, WA | $42,060 | $38,210 | $43,950 | $40,570 |
| 55 | Spokane, WA | $41,850 | $37,770 | $43,850 | $41,710 |
| 56 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,810 | $36,520 | $44,410 | $41,440 |
| 57 | Grants Pass, OR | $41,790 | $36,730 | $44,280 | $42,750 |
| 58 | Atlantic City, NJ | $41,770 | $36,170 | $44,530 | $42,250 |
| 59 | Medford, OR | $41,770 | $36,590 | $44,320 | $41,180 |
| 60 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,700 | $37,070 | $43,970 | $40,360 |
| 61 | Santa Fe, NM | $41,680 | $34,780 | $45,090 | $42,200 |
| 62 | Syracuse, NY | $41,680 | $35,800 | $44,600 | $43,530 |
| 63 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $41,660 | $34,940 | $44,970 | $37,540 |
| 64 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $41,390 | $36,730 | $43,700 | $37,830 |
| 65 | Reno, NV | $41,270 | $36,300 | $43,700 | $40,860 |
| 66 | Norwich, CT | $41,200 | $35,030 | $44,240 | $41,020 |
| 67 | Visalia, CA | $41,180 | $36,130 | $43,660 | $41,250 |
| 68 | Albany, NY | $41,100 | $36,090 | $43,560 | $41,280 |
| 69 | Eugene, OR | $41,000 | $35,690 | $43,600 | $40,370 |
| 70 | Grand Rapids, MI | $40,930 | $34,550 | $44,080 | $42,840 |
| 71 | Miami, FL | $40,710 | $34,630 | $43,680 | $35,660 |
| 72 | Corvallis, OR | $40,680 | $36,400 | $42,810 | $39,110 |
| 73 | Vineland, NJ | $40,620 | $35,610 | $43,080 | $42,330 |
| 74 | Chicago, IL-IN | $40,560 | $34,650 | $43,470 | $39,150 |
| 75 | Tampa, FL | $40,560 | $34,630 | $43,490 | $40,200 |
| 76 | Albany, OR | $40,540 | $36,480 | $42,560 | $39,710 |
| 77 | Kingston, NY | $40,540 | $35,880 | $42,850 | $40,250 |
| 78 | North Port, FL | $40,520 | $34,570 | $43,450 | $39,560 |
| 79 | Jacksonville, FL | $40,350 | $33,900 | $43,530 | $40,560 |
| 80 | Ames, IA | $40,330 | $30,740 | $45,030 | $45,400 |
| 81 | Cape Coral, FL | $40,310 | $34,440 | $43,200 | $39,380 |
| 82 | Ann Arbor, MI | $40,270 | $34,860 | $42,930 | $39,920 |
| 83 | Bismarck, ND | $39,980 | $32,640 | $43,600 | $43,920 |
| 84 | Detroit, MI | $39,940 | $34,110 | $42,810 | $39,820 |
| 85 | Kalamazoo, MI | $39,870 | $32,470 | $43,510 | $42,040 |
| 86 | Durham, NC | $39,790 | $32,570 | $43,350 | $40,780 |
| 87 | Ogden, UT | $39,790 | $34,030 | $42,640 | $39,650 |
| 88 | Bangor, ME | $39,770 | $35,030 | $42,080 | $41,210 |
| 89 | Greenville, SC | $39,730 | $30,430 | $44,300 | $42,600 |
| 90 | Buffalo, NY | $39,670 | $35,340 | $41,790 | $41,390 |
| 91 | Traverse City, MI | $39,670 | $34,550 | $42,200 | $42,490 |
| 92 | Orlando, FL | $39,600 | $33,070 | $42,810 | $39,050 |
| 93 | Provo, UT | $39,600 | $33,550 | $42,600 | $40,310 |
| 94 | Gainesville, GA | $39,500 | $32,740 | $42,830 | $40,820 |
| 95 | Palm Bay, FL | $39,500 | $32,930 | $42,720 | $39,500 |
| 96 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $39,460 | $33,470 | $42,390 | $41,500 |
| 97 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $39,440 | $33,450 | $42,390 | $39,350 |
| 98 | Greeley, CO | $39,420 | $35,380 | $41,410 | $39,350 |
| 99 | Punta Gorda, FL | $39,330 | $32,340 | $42,760 | $39,120 |
| 100 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $39,270 | $32,820 | $42,430 | $42,430 |
| 101 | Springfield, IL | $39,270 | $33,610 | $42,060 | $42,340 |
| 102 | Fort Collins, CO | $39,230 | $34,990 | $41,330 | $38,790 |
| 103 | Rochester, NY | $39,080 | $34,490 | $41,350 | $40,270 |
| 104 | Oshkosh, WI | $39,040 | $33,650 | $41,700 | $42,010 |
| 105 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $39,040 | $34,780 | $41,140 | $39,730 |
| 106 | Colorado Springs, CO | $38,980 | $35,090 | $40,890 | $38,710 |
| 107 | Madison, WI | $38,940 | $33,740 | $41,500 | $40,030 |
| 108 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $38,920 | $31,840 | $42,410 | $40,810 |
| 109 | Charlottesville, VA | $38,900 | $32,160 | $42,200 | $39,240 |
| 110 | Richmond, VA | $38,850 | $32,760 | $41,850 | $39,700 |
| 111 | State College, PA | $38,830 | $31,320 | $42,540 | $40,130 |
| 112 | Columbus, OH | $38,810 | $32,800 | $41,770 | $40,650 |
| 113 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $38,790 | $34,650 | $40,830 | $42,550 |
| 114 | Sebastian, FL | $38,790 | $33,450 | $41,410 | $39,460 |
| 115 | Lawrence, KS | $38,730 | $33,590 | $41,270 | $42,920 |
| 116 | Binghamton, NY | $38,710 | $33,920 | $41,040 | $41,690 |
| 117 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $38,710 | $32,700 | $41,660 | $39,760 |
| 118 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $38,580 | $33,490 | $41,100 | $38,590 |
| 119 | Raleigh, NC | $38,580 | $31,840 | $41,910 | $39,300 |
| 120 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,560 | $32,140 | $41,750 | $40,360 |
| 121 | Anchorage, AK | $38,560 | $28,640 | $43,450 | $36,580 |
| 122 | Las Vegas, NV | $38,560 | $34,340 | $40,640 | $38,480 |
| 123 | Nashville, TN | $38,560 | $34,440 | $40,600 | $40,030 |
| 124 | Blacksburg, VA | $38,520 | $31,320 | $42,060 | $41,550 |
| 125 | Glens Falls, NY | $38,480 | $34,570 | $40,410 | $40,560 |
| 126 | Des Moines, IA | $38,460 | $31,260 | $42,020 | $41,940 |
| 127 | Deltona, FL | $38,400 | $33,380 | $40,870 | $38,640 |
| 128 | Ocala, FL | $38,400 | $32,660 | $41,200 | $40,320 |
| 129 | Panama City, FL | $38,400 | $31,600 | $41,770 | $39,470 |
| 130 | Gainesville, FL | $38,360 | $32,200 | $41,410 | $39,660 |
| 131 | Flint, MI | $38,330 | $32,660 | $41,120 | $41,200 |
| 132 | Lansing, MI | $38,330 | $33,130 | $40,910 | $40,350 |
| 133 | Charleston, SC | $38,270 | $30,310 | $42,200 | $37,910 |
| 134 | Missoula, MT | $38,270 | $33,780 | $40,480 | $39,680 |
| 135 | Kenosha, WI | $38,230 | $33,300 | $40,660 | $37,810 |
| 136 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $38,170 | $30,970 | $41,700 | $38,830 |
| 137 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $38,170 | $33,650 | $40,390 | $40,560 |
| 138 | Fargo, ND-MN | $38,110 | $34,050 | $40,120 | $41,940 |
| 139 | Pueblo, CO | $38,110 | $34,420 | $39,920 | $41,530 |
| 140 | Pittsburgh, PA | $38,060 | $31,800 | $41,140 | $40,200 |
| 141 | Bloomington, IL | $38,040 | $34,240 | $39,920 | $40,670 |
| 142 | Duluth, MN-WI | $38,000 | $32,030 | $40,960 | $42,810 |
| 143 | Winston, NC | $37,980 | $31,050 | $41,390 | $41,260 |
| 144 | Eau Claire, WI | $37,960 | $33,800 | $40,000 | $40,910 |
| 145 | Utica, NY | $37,960 | $33,800 | $40,020 | $40,960 |
| 146 | Boise City, ID | $37,920 | $31,410 | $41,120 | $38,540 |
| 147 | Tucson, AZ | $37,920 | $34,090 | $39,790 | $39,130 |
| 148 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,900 | $32,550 | $40,540 | $39,100 |
| 149 | Dallas, TX | $37,810 | $28,370 | $42,450 | $36,680 |
| 150 | Lafayette, IN | $37,710 | $31,640 | $40,680 | $40,360 |
| 151 | Cleveland, OH | $37,610 | $31,740 | $40,500 | $40,040 |
| 152 | Racine, WI | $37,590 | $31,910 | $40,390 | $39,170 |
| 153 | Akron, OH | $37,500 | $31,890 | $40,270 | $40,160 |
| 154 | Appleton, WI | $37,500 | $31,240 | $40,600 | $40,580 |
| 155 | Atlanta, GA | $37,420 | $31,890 | $40,120 | $37,400 |
| 156 | Wilmington, NC | $37,360 | $30,760 | $40,620 | $38,750 |
| 157 | Lakeland, FL | $37,340 | $31,470 | $40,230 | $38,440 |
| 158 | Omaha, NE-IA | $37,340 | $33,180 | $39,370 | $40,630 |
| 159 | Elkhart, IN | $37,320 | $30,890 | $40,480 | $41,320 |
| 160 | Indianapolis, IN | $37,290 | $31,720 | $40,040 | $38,970 |
| 161 | Waterloo, IA | $37,290 | $29,930 | $40,910 | $42,830 |
| 162 | Grand Junction, CO | $37,270 | $33,760 | $39,000 | $39,040 |
| 163 | Tallahassee, FL | $37,170 | $31,030 | $40,210 | $39,580 |
| 164 | Harrisburg, PA | $37,070 | $30,910 | $40,100 | $37,580 |
| 165 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $37,070 | $31,890 | $39,600 | $37,850 |
| 166 | Austin, TX | $37,040 | $28,580 | $41,200 | $37,770 |
| 167 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $36,840 | $31,640 | $39,420 | $39,410 |
| 168 | Rockford, IL | $36,840 | $32,740 | $38,830 | $39,980 |
| 169 | Burlington, VT | $36,800 | $32,140 | $39,100 | $36,450 |
| 170 | Harrisonburg, VA | $36,770 | $30,580 | $39,830 | $38,750 |
| 171 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $36,750 | $30,010 | $40,080 | $41,310 |
| 172 | Toledo, OH | $36,750 | $30,260 | $39,960 | $40,180 |
| 173 | Reading, PA | $36,730 | $30,600 | $39,750 | $37,840 |
| 174 | Jackson, MI | $36,710 | $31,510 | $39,270 | $40,000 |
| 175 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $36,710 | $31,930 | $39,060 | $39,820 |
| 176 | San Antonio, TX | $36,710 | $27,480 | $41,270 | $38,760 |
| 177 | York, PA | $36,710 | $30,620 | $39,730 | $38,240 |
| 178 | Dayton, OH | $36,650 | $30,970 | $39,460 | $39,540 |
| 179 | Green Bay, WI | $36,610 | $32,200 | $38,790 | $39,330 |
| 180 | Greensboro, NC | $36,590 | $30,330 | $39,670 | $39,400 |
| 181 | Houston, TX | $36,500 | $28,290 | $40,560 | $37,010 |
| 182 | Fayetteville, NC | $36,440 | $30,010 | $39,620 | $39,620 |
| 183 | Roanoke, VA | $36,340 | $31,030 | $38,940 | $38,820 |
| 184 | Augusta, GA-SC | $36,320 | $28,450 | $40,210 | $39,520 |
| 185 | Lincoln, NE | $36,320 | $31,890 | $38,500 | $39,660 |
| 186 | South Bend, IN-MI | $36,300 | $30,510 | $39,150 | $39,090 |
| 187 | Jefferson City, MO | $36,250 | $30,330 | $39,170 | $41,200 |
| 188 | Lebanon, PA | $36,150 | $30,140 | $39,120 | $38,780 |
| 189 | Wausau, WI | $36,150 | $31,840 | $38,270 | $39,020 |
| 190 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $36,130 | $31,510 | $38,420 | $39,370 |
| 191 | Pocatello, ID | $36,130 | $31,720 | $38,290 | $40,640 |
| 192 | Saginaw, MI | $36,090 | $30,120 | $39,020 | $39,710 |
| 193 | Burlington, NC | $36,030 | $31,010 | $38,500 | $38,660 |
| 194 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,030 | $28,660 | $39,640 | $39,850 |
| 195 | Birmingham, AL | $36,000 | $28,680 | $39,620 | $39,280 |
| 196 | Fort Wayne, IN | $35,920 | $30,310 | $38,690 | $38,800 |
| 197 | Iowa City, IA | $35,920 | $30,390 | $38,650 | $39,250 |
| 198 | Hickory, NC | $35,880 | $28,120 | $39,710 | $40,550 |
| 199 | Pinehurst, NC | $35,860 | $29,350 | $39,060 | $40,600 |
| 200 | Peoria, IL | $35,820 | $31,450 | $37,960 | $39,260 |
| 201 | Huntsville, AL | $35,710 | $28,930 | $39,040 | $38,370 |
| 202 | Muskegon, MI | $35,710 | $30,930 | $38,060 | $38,600 |
| 203 | Bay City, MI | $35,670 | $28,600 | $39,150 | $38,810 |
| 204 | Savannah, GA | $35,670 | $29,990 | $38,480 | $37,470 |
| 205 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $35,650 | $28,770 | $39,040 | $38,300 |
| 206 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35,590 | $30,970 | $37,860 | $38,910 |
| 207 | Manchester, NH | $35,590 | $28,660 | $38,980 | $33,680 |
| 208 | Chambersburg, PA | $35,550 | $29,040 | $38,750 | $37,560 |
| 209 | Topeka, KS | $35,550 | $28,750 | $38,900 | $40,020 |
| 210 | Davenport, IA-IL | $35,510 | $30,620 | $37,920 | $39,860 |
| 211 | Warner Robins, GA | $35,480 | $29,870 | $38,250 | $37,830 |
| 212 | Knoxville, TN | $35,460 | $31,570 | $37,380 | $38,310 |
| 213 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $35,440 | $28,000 | $39,100 | $37,850 |
| 214 | Erie, PA | $35,400 | $29,020 | $38,540 | $38,920 |
| 215 | Idaho Falls, ID | $35,400 | $27,370 | $39,350 | $37,500 |
| 216 | Auburn, AL | $35,360 | $27,350 | $39,310 | $40,210 |
| 217 | Columbia, SC | $35,340 | $28,200 | $38,850 | $37,730 |
| 218 | Fayetteville, AR | $35,240 | $29,580 | $38,020 | $38,580 |
| 219 | Lynchburg, VA | $35,170 | $29,850 | $37,790 | $39,360 |
| 220 | Springfield, MO | $35,130 | $30,330 | $37,480 | $39,660 |
| 221 | Joplin, MO-KS | $35,110 | $29,790 | $37,730 | $40,960 |
| 222 | New Orleans, LA | $35,030 | $29,950 | $37,520 | $37,830 |
| 223 | Bloomington, IN | $34,960 | $29,620 | $37,590 | $36,770 |
| 224 | Brunswick, GA | $34,960 | $28,600 | $38,110 | $39,860 |
| 225 | Tulsa, OK | $34,900 | $28,230 | $38,190 | $39,120 |
| 226 | Winchester, VA-WV | $34,900 | $29,390 | $37,610 | $36,180 |
| 227 | Grand Island, NE | $34,880 | $30,180 | $37,190 | $40,250 |
| 228 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $34,880 | $29,950 | $37,320 | $38,490 |
| 229 | Columbia, MO | $34,860 | $30,280 | $37,130 | $38,980 |
| 230 | Lexington, KY | $34,860 | $28,000 | $38,230 | $37,530 |
| 231 | Michigan City, IN | $34,820 | $29,600 | $37,400 | $37,980 |
| 232 | Evansville, IN | $34,760 | $28,870 | $37,670 | $37,980 |
| 233 | Greenville, NC | $34,760 | $28,370 | $37,920 | $39,320 |
| 234 | Las Cruces, NM | $34,740 | $28,180 | $37,960 | $38,510 |
| 235 | Manhattan, KS | $34,610 | $29,560 | $37,110 | $38,390 |
| 236 | Staunton, VA | $34,440 | $28,790 | $37,210 | $37,790 |
| 237 | Rome, GA | $34,420 | $29,540 | $36,840 | $38,180 |
| 238 | Wichita, KS | $34,400 | $28,310 | $37,420 | $38,680 |
| 239 | Gettysburg, PA | $34,320 | $30,080 | $36,400 | $35,980 |
| 240 | Athens, GA | $34,240 | $29,720 | $36,480 | $36,680 |
| 241 | Florence, AL | $34,220 | $28,580 | $37,000 | $40,350 |
| 242 | Jackson, TN | $34,220 | $29,640 | $36,460 | $40,010 |
| 243 | Battle Creek, MI | $34,200 | $29,520 | $36,480 | $37,770 |
| 244 | Macon, GA | $34,130 | $28,230 | $37,040 | $38,550 |
| 245 | Beaumont, TX | $34,050 | $25,170 | $38,420 | $37,810 |
| 246 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $34,010 | $28,660 | $36,650 | $37,400 |
| 247 | Morristown, TN | $33,990 | $29,240 | $36,320 | $39,360 |
| 248 | Corpus Christi, TX | $33,950 | $26,080 | $37,810 | $36,630 |
| 249 | Jacksonville, NC | $33,880 | $26,920 | $37,290 | $36,790 |
| 250 | Little Rock, AR | $33,840 | $27,930 | $36,750 | $37,870 |
| 251 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $33,650 | $29,270 | $35,820 | $38,930 |
| 252 | Rocky Mount, NC | $33,590 | $26,750 | $36,960 | $38,170 |
| 253 | Youngstown, OH | $33,570 | $27,560 | $36,550 | $38,410 |
| 254 | Lima, OH | $33,510 | $28,750 | $35,840 | $37,370 |
| 255 | Baton Rouge, LA | $33,470 | $29,270 | $35,550 | $36,870 |
| 256 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $33,470 | $28,310 | $36,000 | $38,970 |
| 257 | Morgantown, WV | $33,470 | $27,600 | $36,360 | $35,860 |
| 258 | Johnson City, TN | $33,450 | $29,000 | $35,650 | $38,040 |
| 259 | Spartanburg, SC | $33,450 | $25,960 | $37,130 | $36,740 |
| 260 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $33,340 | $27,390 | $36,250 | $37,750 |
| 261 | Logan, UT-ID | $33,260 | $30,530 | $34,610 | $34,670 |
| 262 | Bowling Green, KY | $33,180 | $26,460 | $36,480 | $36,790 |
| 263 | Amarillo, TX | $33,010 | $27,410 | $35,780 | $35,950 |
| 264 | Rapid City, SD | $33,010 | $27,850 | $35,570 | $37,020 |
| 265 | Beckley, WV | $32,800 | $28,330 | $34,990 | $37,120 |
| 266 | Houma, LA | $32,680 | $27,730 | $35,110 | $38,400 |
| 267 | Jonesboro, AR | $32,550 | $25,630 | $35,960 | $37,900 |
| 268 | Shreveport, LA | $32,550 | $27,960 | $34,820 | $38,400 |
| 269 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $32,320 | $26,580 | $35,170 | $36,550 |
| 270 | Killeen, TX | $32,200 | $25,080 | $35,690 | $35,330 |
| 271 | Hot Springs, AR | $32,090 | $27,390 | $34,420 | $37,430 |
| 272 | Columbus, GA-AL | $31,990 | $26,120 | $34,880 | $35,820 |
| 273 | Charleston, WV | $31,970 | $25,560 | $35,130 | $36,040 |
| 274 | Longview, TX | $31,910 | $25,630 | $35,010 | $35,660 |
| 275 | Jackson, MS | $31,640 | $26,460 | $34,170 | $35,530 |
| 276 | Gulfport, MS | $31,320 | $26,480 | $33,720 | $34,800 |
| 277 | Abilene, TX | $31,050 | $22,960 | $35,030 | $34,360 |
| 278 | Hattiesburg, MS | $30,970 | $26,460 | $33,200 | $35,340 |
| 279 | El Paso, TX | $29,680 | $23,030 | $32,950 | $33,010 |
| 280 | Alexandria, LA | $28,970 | $25,630 | $30,620 | $33,810 |
| 281 | College Station, TX | $28,680 | $22,920 | $31,530 | $31,530 |
| 282 | San Juan, PR | $26,580 | $22,050 | $28,810 | N/A |
| 283 | Mayaguez, PR | $23,170 | $21,840 | $23,820 | N/A |
More
More on veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $52,310 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($52,120), Sacramento, CA ($50,250), Boston, MA-NH ($48,760). The national mean is $40,340 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Midland, MI ($48,400 at national prices, $44,490 nominal), San Jose, CA ($47,370 at national prices, $52,310 nominal), Sacramento, CA ($47,110 at national prices, $50,250 nominal).
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $46,900; Los Angeles, CA: $46,530; Chicago, IL-IN: $40,560; Dallas, TX: $37,810; Houston, TX: $36,500 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers earn the least?
Of the 283 metro areas with their own estimate, Mayaguez, PR has the lowest mean wage, $23,170.