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VET Assistant salary
Average vet assistant salary
$14.75
How much does a vet assistant make?
The average vet assistant salary in the United States is $30,687. Vet assistant salaries typically range between $24,000 and $38,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for vet assistants is $14.75 per hour.
Vet assistant salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Vet assistants earn the highest average salary in Alaska.
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Where can a VET Assistant earn more?
VET Assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average vet assistant salary by state
The average vet assistant salary in Alaska, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average vet assistant salary states are South Dakota, Kansas, and Ohio.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for vet assistants
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $34,692 | $16.68 |
| 2 | Alaska | $38,801 | $18.65 |
| 3 | California | $35,169 | $16.91 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $32,154 | $15.46 |
| 5 | Washington | $32,807 | $15.77 |
| 6 | Arizona | $31,455 | $15.12 |
| 7 | Utah | $34,393 | $16.54 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $30,978 | $14.89 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,349 | $16.51 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $30,705 | $14.76 |
| 11 | Vermont | $31,985 | $15.38 |
| 12 | Nevada | $29,967 | $14.41 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $31,940 | $15.36 |
| 14 | Idaho | $31,282 | $15.04 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $30,042 | $14.44 |
| 16 | Maine | $30,204 | $14.52 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $30,820 | $14.82 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,507 | $13.71 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $30,554 | $14.69 |
| 20 | New York | $31,971 | $15.37 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $30,284 | $14.56 |
| 22 | Colorado | $28,604 | $13.75 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $28,416 | $13.66 |
| 24 | Texas | $27,061 | $13.01 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $27,444 | $13.19 |
| 26 | Missouri | $29,484 | $14.18 |
| 27 | Indiana | $28,179 | $13.55 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $29,201 | $14.04 |
| 29 | Delaware | $28,247 | $13.58 |
| 30 | Illinois | $27,450 | $13.20 |
| 31 | Virginia | $28,026 | $13.47 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $26,088 | $12.54 |
| 33 | Florida | $25,368 | $12.20 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $25,915 | $12.46 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $25,429 | $12.23 |
| 36 | Maryland | $26,725 | $12.85 |
| 37 | Georgia | $24,933 | $11.99 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $25,632 | $12.32 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $26,700 | $12.84 |
| 40 | Michigan | $24,776 | $11.91 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $25,004 | $12.02 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,415 | $12.22 |
| 43 | Iowa | $24,984 | $12.01 |
| 44 | Ohio | $24,319 | $11.69 |
| 45 | Montana | $25,673 | $12.34 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,494 | $11.78 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $24,554 | $11.80 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $22,963 | $11.04 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $22,643 | $10.89 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $23,975 | $11.53 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $23,170 | $11.14 |
Highest paying cities for vet assistants
The highest-paying cities for vet assistants are Santa Rosa, CA, Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa, CA | $36,373 | $17.49 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $34,674 | $16.67 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $33,015 | $15.87 |
| 4 | Oceanside, NY | $32,000 | $15.38 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,522 | $15.15 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $30,738 | $14.78 |
| 7 | Wheat Ridge, CO | $28,601 | $13.75 |
| 8 | Nashua, NH | $28,508 | $13.71 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $28,042 | $13.48 |
| 10 | Chapel Hill, NC | $27,609 | $13.27 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $27,539 | $13.24 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $27,244 | $13.10 |
| 13 | Glen Burnie, MD | $26,784 | $12.88 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $25,825 | $12.42 |
| 15 | Marietta, GA | $25,074 | $12.05 |
| 16 | Manhattan, KS | $24,548 | $11.80 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $24,030 | $11.55 |
VET Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
VET Assistant salary details
A vet assistant's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a vet assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $30,687 | $2,557 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying vet assistant jobs
The highest paying types of vet assistants are veterinarian assistant, avian keeper, and veterinary technician assistant.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | $26,564 | $2,214 | $12.77 | 45,979 |
| Kennel Technician | $26,664 | $2,222 | $12.82 | 30,123 |
| Veterinary Technician | $38,441 | $3,203 | $18.48 | 41,022 |
Which companies pay vet assistants the most?
Vet assistant salaries at Michigan State University and City of Jacksonville are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average vet assistant salary at companies like CVS Health and Nestlé are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University | $38,563 | $18.54 |
| 2 | City of Jacksonville | $36,274 | $17.44 |
| 3 | CVS Health | $34,914 | $16.79 |
| 4 | Nestlé | $34,275 | $16.48 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin System | $34,193 | $16.44 |
| 6 | Helen Woodward Animal Center | $33,811 | $16.26 |
| 7 | San Diego Humane Society | $33,648 | $16.18 |
| 8 | City of Springfield | $33,630 | $16.17 |
| 9 | Acc Of Nyc | $33,621 | $16.16 |
| 10 | Ethos Veterinary Health | $33,469 | $16.09 |
| 11 | Medical Management International | $33,457 | $16.09 |
| 12 | Kitsap Humane Society | $33,429 | $16.07 |
| 13 | Charles River Center | $33,367 | $16.04 |
| 14 | ASPCA | $32,673 | $15.71 |
| 15 | Animal Humane Society | $32,583 | $15.66 |
| 16 | The Animal Medical Center | $32,361 | $15.56 |
| 17 | VCA Animal Hospitals | $32,190 | $15.48 |
| 18 | McDonough District Hospital | $32,167 | $15.46 |
| 19 | Banfield Pet Hospital | $31,893 | $15.33 |
| 20 | noahshospitals | $31,712 | $15.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
VET Assistant salary trends
The average vet assistant salary has risen by $7,280 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average vet assistant earned $23,407 annually, but today, they earn $30,687 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for vet assistants over the last decade.
Compare vet assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average vet assistant salary over time
Compare vet assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Knoxville, TN
VET Assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $30,700 | $14.75 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $29,300 | $14.09 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $28,200 | $13.58 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $26,800 | $12.89 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | $25,900 | $12.45 | +3.5% |
Recently added vet assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petco | Vetco Veterinary Assistant-ND (Training Provided) | Nome, ND | 12/16/2024 | $32,349 |
| East Riverside Veterinary Hospital, LLC | Veterinary Assistant | New Orleans, LA | 12/16/2024 | $29,218 |
| Ohio State | Veterinary Care Assistant 2-LA-Temporary | Noble, LA | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
| Destination Pet, LLC | Veterinary Assistant | Rockville, MD | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
| Allianceanimal | Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist | Harrisburg, IL | 12/16/2024 | $31,305 |
| Splootvets | Veterinary Assistant New | Chicago, IL | 12/16/2024 | $39,653 |
| Wellhaven Bozeman Pet Hospital | Veterinary Assistant | Bozeman, MT | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
| Allianceanimal | Veterinary Assistant | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
| Vetpartners | Veterinary Assistant | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $37,566 |
| South Hillsdale Animal Hospital | Veterinary Assistant | San Mateo, CA | 12/16/2024 | $41,740 |
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