Veterinary assistant earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level veterinary assistant earnings begin at:

$15.22 per hour

$31,662 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level veterinary assistant earnings begin at:

$13.18 per hour

$27,409 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level veterinary assistant earnings begin at:

$11.23 per hour

$23,350 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level veterinary assistant earnings begin at:

$9.56 per hour

$19,892 per year

10th percentile

Starting level veterinary assistant earnings begin at:

$8.28 per hour

$17,220 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Veterinary assistant salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Massachusetts $34,860
Maine $32,690
New York $30,725
Oregon $30,700
Washington $30,260
Connecticut $29,790
Colorado $29,720
Vermont $29,600
Hawaii $29,170
California $29,024
Pennsylvania $28,840
North Carolina $28,830
Minnesota $28,760
Maryland $28,420
Iowa $28,410
Missouri $28,110
Nevada $28,010
Alaska $27,476
District of Columbia $27,140
Wyoming $27,040
Montana $27,000
New Hampshire $26,880
Virginia $26,350
Michigan $26,010
Delaware $25,980
Georgia $25,980
Idaho $25,903
North Dakota $25,670
Florida $25,650
New Jersey $25,570
South Carolina $25,450
Kentucky $25,380
Kansas $25,229
Wisconsin $25,200
Ohio $25,120
Oklahoma $25,080
Texas $25,020
Nebraska $24,640
Louisiana $24,310
Rhode Island $24,170
Utah $24,130
Arkansas $23,993
Arizona $23,816
Tennessee $23,800
Indiana $23,478
South Dakota $23,450
Mississippi $23,350
Illinois $23,242
New Mexico $23,130
West Virginia $22,400
Alabama $20,600
Puerto Rico $18,550

How much does a Veterinary Assistant earn?

Veterinary assistants care for animals and perform routine tasks, such as grooming and feeding. Typically, the veterinary assistant position is looked at as a stepping stone to more qualified positions in the sector and most individuals pursue further education to become either veterinary technicians, or veterinarians. If you love animals and like to take care of them, becoming a veterinary assistant is the first step in understanding whether you can handle the responsibility, and whether you want to pursue higher stages of animal care. At the same time, you can obtain a veterinary assistant salary that will help pay for further education and qualifications.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported over 72,000 veterinary assistants working nationwide. These veterinary assistants earned an average annual salary of $24,430, or $11.75 an hour. The top 10 percent could earn $34,970 or more annually, the equivalent of $16.81 an hour, while the bottom 10 percent could earn $16,970 or less, the equivalent of $8.16 an hour.

How do veterinary assistant salaries compare to similar careers?

Veterinary assistants earn 7% less than similar careers in Mississippi. On average, they make less than medical secretaries but more than animal trainers.

Career Median Salary
Medical secretary salary $29K
Medical assistant salary $29K
Phlebotomist salary $29K
Psychiatric technician salary $28K
Animal control worker salary $25K
Veterinary assistant salary $23K
Animal caretaker salary $21K
Orderly salary $22K
Home health aide salary $22K
Animal trainer salary $19K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)