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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
111,880 1.4 % $ 16.58 $ 34,490 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 12.15 $ 14.03 $ 16.70 $ 18.03 $ 21.60
Annual Wage (2) $ 25,270 $ 29,190 $ 34,740 $ 37,510 $ 44,920


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 102,180 12.42 $ 16.28 $ 33,860
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,970 0.10 $ 21.34 $ 44,400
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,220 0.26 $ 21.90 $ 45,560
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,360 0.57 $ 15.62 $ 32,480
Other Personal Services 960 0.26 $ 17.40 $ 36,180

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 102,180 12.42 $ 16.28 $ 33,860
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,360 0.57 $ 15.62 $ 32,480
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,220 0.26 $ 21.90 $ 45,560
Other Personal Services 960 0.26 $ 17.40 $ 36,180
Other Miscellaneous Retailers 700 0.14 $ 18.42 $ 38,320

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 240 (7) $ 23.92 $ 49,760
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,220 0.26 $ 21.90 $ 45,560
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,970 0.10 $ 21.34 $ 44,400
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 150 0.04 $ 20.37 $ 42,370
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 240 (7) $ 19.33 $ 40,200


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 2022


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 14,190 0.80 1.06 $ 19.28 $ 40,090
Texas 7,780 0.60 0.79 $ 15.25 $ 31,720
Florida 7,240 0.79 1.04 $ 15.94 $ 33,150
North Carolina 5,150 1.11 1.47 $ 15.00 $ 31,190
Ohio 4,530 0.84 1.11 $ 14.72 $ 30,610


Map of location quotient of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by state, May 2022


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)
Maine 900 1.47 1.94 $ 20.54 $ 42,720
Oregon 2,310 1.22 1.61 $ 18.17 $ 37,800
Washington 3,910 1.15 1.52 $ 18.62 $ 38,720
Montana 560 1.15 1.52 $ 14.72 $ 30,610
North Carolina 5,150 1.11 1.47 $ 15.00 $ 31,190


Map of annual mean wages of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by state, May 2022


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)
Massachusetts 2,100 0.59 0.78 $ 20.77 $ 43,190
Maine 900 1.47 1.94 $ 20.54 $ 42,720
New York 4,370 0.48 0.63 $ 19.36 $ 40,270
California 14,190 0.80 1.06 $ 19.28 $ 40,090
Connecticut 1,070 0.66 0.87 $ 19.26 $ 40,050



Map of employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by area, May 2022


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 4,550 0.75 0.99 $ 19.32 $ 40,190
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,790 0.41 0.54 $ 19.80 $ 41,170
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,640 0.60 0.79 $ 17.61 $ 36,630
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,480 0.82 1.08 $ 18.93 $ 39,380
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,280 0.60 0.79 $ 15.89 $ 33,040
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,220 1.09 1.44 $ 19.43 $ 40,410
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,150 0.79 1.04 $ 15.77 $ 32,810
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,090 0.94 1.24 $ 16.68 $ 34,680
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,920 0.63 0.83 $ 15.37 $ 31,980
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,920 0.69 0.92 $ 16.83 $ 35,010


Map of location quotient of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by area, May 2022


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)
Ithaca, NY 160 3.41 4.50 (8) (8)
Corvallis, OR 90 2.51 3.32 $ 17.29 $ 35,970
Ames, IA 110 2.46 3.25 $ 22.38 $ 46,540
Monroe, MI 90 2.34 3.09 $ 15.58 $ 32,400
Athens-Clarke County, GA 200 2.25 2.97 $ 15.72 $ 32,700
Manhattan, KS 80 2.10 2.78 $ 17.92 $ 37,260
Charlottesville, VA 220 2.00 2.65 $ 16.94 $ 35,240
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA 90 1.85 2.44 $ 14.17 $ 29,480
Auburn-Opelika, AL 110 1.79 2.37 $ 14.50 $ 30,160
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 170 1.76 2.33 $ 19.96 $ 41,510


Map of annual mean wages of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Haven, CT 300 1.05 1.39 $ 24.72 $ 51,420
Ames, IA 110 2.46 3.25 $ 22.38 $ 46,540
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 600 0.54 0.71 $ 22.29 $ 46,370
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,800 0.75 1.00 $ 21.51 $ 44,740
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,640 0.60 0.80 $ 21.17 $ 44,020
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 170 1.76 2.33 $ 19.96 $ 41,510
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,790 0.41 0.54 $ 19.80 $ 41,170
Fort Smith, AR-OK 110 1.07 1.42 $ 19.73 $ 41,040
Santa Rosa, CA 320 1.57 2.07 $ 19.70 $ 40,980
Worcester, MA-CT 210 0.73 0.97 $ 19.50 $ 40,560

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 340 0.89 1.18 $ 12.76 $ 26,530
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 260 0.81 1.08 $ 13.71 $ 28,520
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 260 0.99 1.30 $ 15.15 $ 31,520
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 250 1.02 1.34 $ 14.15 $ 29,430
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 240 0.97 1.28 $ 14.22 $ 29,580

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 70 1.82 2.40 $ 14.16 $ 29,450
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 190 1.52 2.01 $ 17.27 $ 35,910
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 90 1.51 1.99 $ 17.95 $ 37,330
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 110 1.42 1.88 $ 14.45 $ 30,050
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 1.86 $ 18.30 $ 38,070

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.36 0.47 $ 19.53 $ 40,620
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 1.86 $ 18.30 $ 38,070
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 140 0.76 1.01 $ 18.11 $ 37,660
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 90 1.51 1.99 $ 17.95 $ 37,330
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 130 0.96 1.26 $ 17.94 $ 37,320


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023