A career as a veterinary technician offers a unique mix of both work and play. You’ll be directly involved in the day-to-day care for animals, but you’ll also learn about animal behavior in the laboratory, classroom or clinical setting.
Have you ever thought of making a career as a Vet Tech? This is the best place to start. Get up close and personal with our informative articles and guides about careers, training and salary for Vet Technicians across the nation.
Starting salary for a vet tech can vary greatly depending on the area of specialization, employer, and education level. For example, the starting salary for a vet tech employed by a major national chain is often higher than that given to someone who has just graduated from a small private practice or university.
Starting Salary For Vet Tech Overview
The average vet tech salary in the United States is $32,000 per year, which breaks down to about $16 an hour. The median hourly wage is $14.89, according to PayScale’s data.
That’s pretty competitive with other medical careers that require a similar level of training and education, like nursing and pharmacy technician. But it’s also competitive with what you’d make as a construction worker or office manager—and those jobs don’t require you to work with high-maintenance animals who may bite off your fingers or poop on your shoes at any moment!
If you’re considering working as a vet tech, here are some factors that can affect how much money you make:
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Vet Tech ?
A good starting salary for a veterinary technician is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a veterinary technician in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for veterinary technicians is $37,434, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a veterinary technician can vary by state.
A good starting salary for a veterinary technician is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a veterinary technician in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for veterinary technicians is $37,434, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a veterinary technician can vary by state, as we show below.
Vet Tech Median Annual Salary
According to The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) 2021 Occupational Employment Statistics, salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors.
Here’s what the BLS has to say about vet tech salaries by state:
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
National data
Median Salary: $36,850
Projected job growth: 14.9%
10th Percentile: $28,370
25th Percentile: $29,810
75th Percentile: $45,750
90th Percentile: $48,100
State data
| State | Median Salary | Bottom 10% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $47,040 | $29,150 | $47,550 |
| Alabama | $29,180 | $22,590 | $46,100 |
| Arkansas | $29,120 | $22,880 | $37,510 |
| Arizona | $36,690 | $29,110 | $46,860 |
| California | $45,540 | $31,220 | $59,360 |
| Colorado | $37,630 | $29,380 | $47,850 |
| Connecticut | $46,190 | $30,610 | $59,390 |
| District of Columbia | $47,010 | $36,820 | $184,640 |
| Delaware | $36,360 | $28,240 | $49,700 |
| Florida | $36,520 | $28,340 | $46,540 |
| Georgia | $36,540 | $26,150 | $49,680 |
| Hawaii | $38,940 | $36,590 | $57,550 |
| Iowa | $35,930 | $28,820 | $46,210 |
| Idaho | $36,330 | $28,620 | $46,190 |
| Illinois | $37,950 | $29,310 | $51,620 |
| Indiana | $35,980 | $28,010 | $46,150 |
| Kansas | $36,140 | $27,980 | $46,410 |
| Kentucky | $29,180 | $22,990 | $38,260 |
| Louisiana | $28,040 | $18,680 | $37,550 |
| Massachusetts | $44,210 | $35,460 | $56,350 |
| Maryland | $37,390 | $29,730 | $47,690 |
| Maine | $37,180 | $29,550 | $46,340 |
| Michigan | $37,440 | $29,270 | $47,850 |
| Minnesota | $37,240 | $29,650 | $46,780 |
| Missouri | $32,170 | $22,850 | $42,050 |
| Mississippi | $27,830 | $22,250 | $36,900 |
| Montana | $36,210 | $22,730 | $44,190 |
| North Carolina | $36,590 | $27,340 | $47,090 |
| North Dakota | $36,840 | $29,210 | $46,880 |
| Nebraska | $36,940 | $28,070 | $47,790 |
| New Hampshire | $38,880 | $30,090 | $48,030 |
| New Jersey | $38,920 | $29,590 | $54,950 |
| New Mexico | $30,020 | $23,050 | $45,850 |
| Nevada | $46,230 | $28,950 | $59,260 |
| New York | $46,020 | $30,440 | $59,340 |
| Ohio | $36,350 | $28,180 | $47,440 |
| Oklahoma | $35,630 | $22,960 | $38,980 |
| Oregon | $37,630 | $29,340 | $58,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,720 | $28,750 | $48,100 |
| Rhode Island | $37,190 | $29,670 | $46,870 |
| South Carolina | $36,680 | $28,320 | $48,830 |
| South Dakota | $36,380 | $28,500 | $46,190 |
| Tennessee | $30,600 | $23,450 | $45,850 |
| Texas | $30,430 | $23,090 | $43,940 |
| Utah | $30,620 | $23,700 | $37,830 |
| Virginia | $44,520 | $28,710 | $58,120 |
| Vermont | $36,620 | $29,030 | $37,570 |
| Washington | $47,010 | $36,990 | $60,210 |
| Wisconsin | $36,880 | $28,980 | $47,400 |
| West Virginia | $29,690 | $22,180 | $43,500 |
| Wyoming | $29,450 | $28,800 | $45,850 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2030. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
How Do Veterinary Technician Salaries Compare?
| Career | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $36,850 |
| Animal Control Workers | $39,160 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $29,780 |
| Veterinarians | $100,370 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $57,800 |
Animal caretakers need talented assistants and the field of technology around animal care is growing. Because of this, new treatments and procedures are available to keep animals healthy and alive longer, so there will be an increase in services needed
