Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019
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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation
National estimates for this occupation:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 97,030 |
2.2 % |
$14.28 |
$29,690 |
0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$9.99 |
$11.58 |
$13.75 |
$16.45 |
$19.14 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$20,790 |
$24,080 |
$28,590 |
$34,220 |
$39,800 |
Industry profile for this occupation:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
86,180 |
11.48 |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
3,630 |
0.12 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
3,310 |
0.47 |
$17.17 |
$35,720 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations |
1,260 |
0.56 |
$13.86 |
$28,820 |
| Other Personal Services |
610 |
0.17 |
$13.81 |
$28,710 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
86,180 |
11.48 |
$13.88 |
$28,880 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations |
1,260 |
0.56 |
$13.86 |
$28,820 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
3,310 |
0.47 |
$17.17 |
$35,720 |
| Other Personal Services |
610 |
0.17 |
$13.81 |
$28,710 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
3,630 |
0.12 |
$19.05 |
$39,620 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Geographic profile for this occupation:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
12,360 |
0.71 |
1.08 |
$16.19 |
$33,680 |
| Texas |
6,060 |
0.49 |
0.74 |
$13.09 |
$27,230 |
| Florida |
5,410 |
0.62 |
0.93 |
$13.84 |
$28,790 |
| New York |
4,890 |
0.51 |
0.78 |
$15.97 |
$33,220 |
| Virginia |
4,320 |
1.11 |
1.68 |
$13.25 |
$27,550 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Maine |
740 |
1.21 |
1.83 |
$19.71 |
$41,000 |
| Oregon |
2,180 |
1.14 |
1.73 |
$15.77 |
$32,810 |
| Washington |
3,670 |
1.11 |
1.67 |
$15.45 |
$32,140 |
| Virginia |
4,320 |
1.11 |
1.68 |
$13.25 |
$27,550 |
| Oklahoma |
1,710 |
1.06 |
1.60 |
$12.72 |
$26,470 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Maine |
740 |
1.21 |
1.83 |
$19.71 |
$41,000 |
| Massachusetts |
1,470 |
0.40 |
0.61 |
$19.27 |
$40,070 |
| Connecticut |
1,200 |
0.72 |
1.09 |
$16.93 |
$35,210 |
| California |
12,360 |
0.71 |
1.08 |
$16.19 |
$33,680 |
| New York |
4,890 |
0.51 |
0.78 |
$15.97 |
$33,220 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
4,170 |
0.67 |
1.01 |
$15.32 |
$31,860 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
4,110 |
0.43 |
0.64 |
$15.77 |
$32,800 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
2,420 |
0.76 |
1.15 |
$14.12 |
$29,370 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
2,230 |
0.61 |
0.92 |
$13.45 |
$27,970 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
2,200 |
1.09 |
1.65 |
$15.45 |
$32,130 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
2,040 |
0.96 |
1.45 |
$14.87 |
$30,930 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
1,840 |
0.39 |
0.60 |
$13.88 |
$28,870 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
1,600 |
0.81 |
1.22 |
$13.83 |
$28,770 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
1,480 |
1.22 |
1.85 |
$16.17 |
$33,620 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
1,350 |
0.90 |
1.37 |
$15.92 |
$33,110 |
United States Department of Labor
