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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

31-9096 Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

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. Excludes “Animal Caretakers” (39-2021).

National estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Industry profile for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Geographic profile for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

National estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
115,770 1.1 % $ 17.94 $ 37,310 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.73 $ 14.96 $ 17.52 $ 20.33 $ 22.42
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,550 $ 31,120 $ 36,440 $ 42,290 $ 46,630

Industry profile for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 106,250 12.40 $ 17.62 $ 36,660
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,800 0.12 $ 22.90 $ 47,630
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,710 0.18 $ 23.34 $ 48,550
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,450 0.57 $ 17.43 $ 36,250
Other Personal Services 860 0.21 $ 17.94 $ 37,310

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 106,250 12.40 $ 17.62 $ 36,660
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,450 0.57 $ 17.43 $ 36,250
Other Personal Services 860 0.21 $ 17.94 $ 37,310
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,710 0.18 $ 23.34 $ 48,550
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,800 0.12 $ 22.90 $ 47,630

Top paying industries for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 260 (7) $ 24.91 $ 51,810
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 110 0.03 $ 24.09 $ 50,110
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,710 0.18 $ 23.34 $ 48,550
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,800 0.12 $ 22.90 $ 47,630
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 220 (7) $ 21.34 $ 44,390

Geographic profile for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 16,300 0.91 1.19 $ 20.50 $ 42,650
Texas 8,020 0.59 0.78 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Florida 7,360 0.77 1.01 $ 17.25 $ 35,880
North Carolina 5,750 1.20 1.57 $ 17.07 $ 35,500
New York 5,130 0.55 0.72 $ 20.14 $ 41,890


Map of location quotient of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oregon 2,490 1.28 1.68 $ 19.40 $ 40,350
Maine 800 1.28 1.68 $ 21.60 $ 44,920
Oklahoma 2,050 1.23 1.62 $ 15.89 $ 33,060
Washington 4,270 1.22 1.60 $ 20.33 $ 42,290
Montana 600 1.21 1.58 $ 16.43 $ 34,170


Map of annual mean wages of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 200 0.29 0.38 $ 24.44 $ 50,830
Massachusetts 1,780 0.49 0.64 $ 23.12 $ 48,090
Connecticut 1,110 0.67 0.88 $ 21.80 $ 45,350
Maine 800 1.28 1.68 $ 21.60 $ 44,920
Rhode Island 330 0.68 0.89 $ 20.71 $ 43,080



Map of employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,180 0.84 1.10 $ 20.53 $ 42,690
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,110 0.43 0.57 $ 20.74 $ 43,150
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,930 0.65 0.85 $ 18.24 $ 37,950
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,890 0.94 1.23 $ 20.12 $ 41,860
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,390 0.60 0.79 $ 16.79 $ 34,930
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,300 1.11 1.45 $ 21.30 $ 44,310
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,050 0.72 0.95 $ 18.77 $ 39,050
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,040 0.84 1.11 $ 22.66 $ 47,120
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,000 0.71 0.93 $ 17.27 $ 35,910
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,970 1.29 1.70 $ 20.21 $ 42,030


Map of location quotient of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ames, IA 140 3.01 3.94 $ 22.46 $ 46,720
Corvallis, OR 100 2.54 3.33 $ 18.92 $ 39,350
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 130 2.51 3.29 $ 21.12 $ 43,930
Charlottesville, VA 270 2.41 3.16 $ 16.75 $ 34,830
Monroe, MI 90 2.26 2.97 $ 17.05 $ 35,460
Bend-Redmond, OR 200 2.21 2.91 $ 19.45 $ 40,450
Manhattan, KS 90 2.18 2.86 $ 15.69 $ 32,640
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 210 2.14 2.81 $ 20.39 $ 42,420
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 150 2.06 2.70 $ 16.47 $ 34,260
Asheville, NC 400 1.98 2.60 $ 17.28 $ 35,930