Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
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) |
| 98,810 |
2.3 % |
$ 14.89 |
$ 30,980 |
0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 10.37 |
$ 12.20 |
$ 14.39 |
$ 17.26 |
$ 19.75 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 21,570 |
$ 25,370 |
$ 29,930 |
$ 35,900 |
$ 41,080 |
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 |
88,480 |
12.18 |
$ 14.54 |
$ 30,230 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
3,270 |
0.11 |
$ 19.08 |
$ 39,690 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
3,030 |
0.40 |
$ 18.51 |
$ 38,500 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations |
1,140 |
0.52 |
$ 14.22 |
$ 29,570 |
| Other Personal Services |
700 |
0.24 |
$ 15.26 |
$ 31,740 |
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 |
88,480 |
12.18 |
$ 14.54 |
$ 30,230 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations |
1,140 |
0.52 |
$ 14.22 |
$ 29,570 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
3,030 |
0.40 |
$ 18.51 |
$ 38,500 |
| Other Personal Services |
700 |
0.24 |
$ 15.26 |
$ 31,740 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
3,270 |
0.11 |
$ 19.08 |
$ 39,690 |
Top paying industries for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
40 |
(7) |
$ 23.40 |
$ 48,680 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
630 |
0.01 |
$ 19.96 |
$ 41,520 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
3,270 |
0.11 |
$ 19.08 |
$ 39,690 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
3,030 |
0.40 |
$ 18.51 |
$ 38,500 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing |
110 |
0.04 |
$ 18.43 |
$ 38,340 |
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.
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 |
13,040 |
0.79 |
1.12 |
$ 17.13 |
$ 35,620 |
| Texas |
6,950 |
0.57 |
0.81 |
$ 12.96 |
$ 26,970 |
| Florida |
5,190 |
0.62 |
0.87 |
$ 14.42 |
$ 29,980 |
| New York |
4,810 |
0.55 |
0.78 |
$ 16.40 |
$ 34,100 |
| Virginia |
4,140 |
1.12 |
1.57 |
$ 13.92 |
$ 28,950 |
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 |
800 |
1.40 |
1.97 |
$ 20.81 |
$ 43,290 |
| Oregon |
2,430 |
1.35 |
1.89 |
$ 16.20 |
$ 33,700 |
| Nevada |
1,610 |
1.29 |
1.81 |
$ 13.65 |
$ 28,400 |
| Washington |
3,740 |
1.17 |
1.65 |
$ 16.23 |
$ 33,750 |
| Virginia |
4,140 |
1.12 |
1.57 |
$ 13.92 |
$ 28,950 |
Top paying states for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:
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 |
5,010 |
0.86 |
1.21 |
$ 16.56 |
$ 34,430 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
4,270 |
0.48 |
0.68 |
$ 16.63 |
$ 34,590 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
2,370 |
0.79 |
1.11 |
$ 15.32 |
$ 31,860 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
2,130 |
0.59 |
0.83 |
$ 13.27 |
$ 27,610 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
2,090 |
1.07 |
1.50 |
$ 16.32 |
$ 33,950 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
1,870 |
0.43 |
0.60 |
$ 15.64 |
$ 32,530 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
1,820 |
0.86 |
1.21 |
$ 15.84 |
$ 32,940 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
1,720 |
1.51 |
2.12 |
$ 16.52 |
$ 34,360 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
1,520 |
0.56 |
0.80 |
$ 15.30 |
$ 31,820 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
1,510 |
0.60 |
0.85 |
$ 15.14 |
$ 31,490 |
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 |
150 |
3.30 |
4.65 |
$ 19.60 |
$ 40,770 |
| Manhattan, KS |
120 |
3.22 |
4.53 |
$ 15.41 |
$ 32,060 |
| Albany, OR |
100 |
2.24 |
3.15 |
$ 14.58 |
$ 30,320 |
| Charlottesville, VA |
220 |
2.06 |
2.90 |
$ 16.74 |
$ 34,830 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA |
90 |
2.04 |
2.88 |
$ 16.17 |
$ 33,640 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY |
520 |
2.02 |
2.84 |
$ 13.25 |
$ 27,570 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA |
180 |
1.99 |
2.80 |
$ 18.09 |
$ 37,630 |
| Monroe, LA |
130 |
1.84 |
2.59 |
$ 13.60 |
$ 28,290 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID |
110 |
1.83 |
2.57 |
$ 13.96 |
$ 29,040 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA |
200 |
1.81 |
2.55 |
$ 16.34 |
$ 33,990 |
United States Department of Labor
