SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-2056.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,710 | $2,976 | $687 | $17.17 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,910 | $3,242 | $748 | $18.71 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,380 | $3,948 | $911 | $22.78 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $57,650 | $4,804 | $1,109 | $27.72 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $63,180 | $5,265 | $1,215 | $30.38 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $47,380, which is 7% lower. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 65 by median pay. With 129,140 jobs, it makes up about 8.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($61,270), California ($60,630) and Washington ($59,740). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($27,970), Louisiana ($35,530) and Mississippi ($36,380). The most jobs were in Texas (16,730), Florida (11,380) and California (11,310). The occupation is most concentrated in Maine, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 120 | $61,270 | $65,370 | $29.46 |
| California | 11,310 | $60,630 | $61,400 | $29.15 |
| Washington | 2,290 | $59,740 | $59,940 | $28.72 |
| New York | 5,350 | $59,010 | $61,080 | $28.37 |
| Minnesota | 3,560 | $57,270 | $55,470 | $27.54 |
| Oregon | 1,120 | $55,810 | $56,570 | $26.83 |
| Virginia | 2,790 | $52,090 | $54,480 | $25.04 |
| Connecticut | 1,690 | $50,950 | $55,300 | $24.49 |
| Maine | 910 | $50,810 | $51,720 | $24.43 |
| Nevada | 1,120 | $50,250 | $53,450 | $24.16 |
| Michigan | 2,550 | $49,710 | $51,360 | $23.90 |
| Colorado | 3,720 | $49,650 | $52,010 | $23.87 |
| Massachusetts | 3,990 | $49,540 | $53,170 | $23.82 |
| Vermont | 390 | $49,490 | $50,670 | $23.80 |
| New Jersey | 2,910 | $49,050 | $52,780 | $23.58 |
| North Dakota | 340 | $48,790 | $47,680 | $23.46 |
| New Hampshire | 870 | $48,780 | $50,840 | $23.45 |
| Indiana | 1,820 | $48,720 | $48,480 | $23.43 |
| Hawaii | 270 | $48,550 | $49,460 | $23.34 |
| Delaware | 530 | $48,370 | $48,740 | $23.25 |
| Ohio | 4,790 | $47,990 | $47,900 | $23.07 |
| North Carolina | 2,580 | $47,620 | $48,120 | $22.89 |
| Maryland | 2,540 | $47,350 | $52,730 | $22.77 |
| Wisconsin | 2,590 | $47,020 | $48,210 | $22.61 |
| Alaska | 380 | $46,480 | $63,720 | $22.35 |
| Illinois | 5,040 | $46,440 | $49,980 | $22.33 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,620 | $46,430 | $47,270 | $22.32 |
| Florida | 11,380 | $46,380 | $46,300 | $22.30 |
| Arizona | 3,970 | $46,300 | $47,470 | $22.26 |
| Kansas | 1,270 | $45,810 | $46,440 | $22.02 |
| Iowa | 1,220 | $45,560 | $47,010 | $21.90 |
| Rhode Island | 530 | $45,310 | $49,590 | $21.78 |
| South Dakota | 300 | $45,300 | $43,660 | $21.78 |
| New Mexico | 890 | $44,790 | $43,190 | $21.53 |
| Nebraska | 690 | $43,680 | $44,490 | $21.00 |
| Missouri | 2,040 | $43,520 | $42,600 | $20.92 |
| Georgia | 2,410 | $43,060 | $43,720 | $20.70 |
| Tennessee | 1,640 | $42,810 | $43,960 | $20.58 |
| Idaho | 790 | $42,120 | $42,300 | $20.25 |
| Montana | 480 | $41,170 | $44,140 | $19.79 |
| Utah | 1,550 | $40,560 | $42,140 | $19.50 |
| Kentucky | 1,670 | $39,590 | $40,880 | $19.03 |
| Texas | 16,730 | $39,410 | $42,030 | $18.95 |
| Oklahoma | 1,060 | $39,100 | $42,000 | $18.80 |
| South Carolina | 2,540 | $39,020 | $43,330 | $18.76 |
| Wyoming | 310 | $38,650 | $39,170 | $18.58 |
| Arkansas | 320 | $38,360 | $38,490 | $18.44 |
| West Virginia | 400 | $37,700 | $39,230 | $18.13 |
| Alabama | 1,880 | $36,590 | $36,600 | $17.59 |
| Mississippi | 650 | $36,380 | $37,230 | $17.49 |
| Louisiana | 2,220 | $35,530 | $35,980 | $17.08 |
| Puerto Rico | 480 | $27,970 | $33,520 | $13.45 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
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Common questions
How much do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,380 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,710 and the highest-paid 10% more than $63,180.
How many people work as Veterinary Technologists and Technicians?
About 129,140 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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