Veterinary pay

Veterinary assistant salary

The median veterinary assistant in the United States earned $38,150 a year, or $18.34 an hour. The lowest ten percent earned less than $30,120 and the highest ten percent earned more than $49,150. Those are Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 figures for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, occupation code 31-9096.

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$38,150Median a year

$18.34Median an hour

+9%Projected 2025 to 2035

What moves this number

This is the most common entry point into clinical veterinary work, and pay reflects that it usually requires no licence.
Emergency and specialty practices generally pay assistants more than general practice, for the same reason they pay technicians more.
An Approved Veterinary Assistant credential is optional but is one of the few formal signals available in this role.
Many practices will support a move into a credentialed technician path. That progression, not a raise in the assistant role, is where the step change in pay is.

This section is BEGHR's read from recruiting the role, not Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The figures above are BLS. This part is us.

What the single figure hides

The BLS code combines veterinary assistants with laboratory animal caretakers, which are different jobs in different settings. The published figure covers both.

Credentials

No licence is required in most states. The AVA credential exists and is optional. Moving onto a credentialed technician track is the larger financial decision.

The source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 estimates for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (occupation code 31-9096). Employment 132,100 in 2025. Projected change 9 percent, 2025 to 2035, which BLS labels “Much faster than average”. That BLS page was last modified October 29, 2026.

View the BLS page for this occupation

Common questions

What is the median veterinary assistant salary?

$38,150 a year, or $18.34 an hour, in the United States. That is the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 figure for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, occupation code 31-9096. Median means half earned more and half earned less.

What is the range?

BLS reports that the lowest ten percent earned less than $30,120 and the highest ten percent earned more than $49,150. Those are not a minimum and a maximum, they are the points where the bottom and top tenth of the occupation sit.

Is this figure veterinary-specific?

Yes. BLS publishes veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers as its own occupation, code 31-9096.

What is the job outlook?

BLS projects 9 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, which it labels "Much faster than average". Employment was 132,100 in 2025.

Does BEGHR charge me to find a role?

No. The employer pays the placement fee. BEGHR never charges a candidate at any stage.

Other veterinary roles

Veterinarian

Median $130,100 a year.

Veterinary technician

Median $47,380 a year.

Veterinary receptionist

Median $38,010 a year.

All four roles side by side

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What a specific role pays is a conversation.

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