The highest-paying states for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $45,240, Rhode Island is the highest paying state for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers. It is followed by Massachusetts (average annual salary $40,120). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $45,240 |
$29,040 | 350 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $40,120 |
$31,820 | 2,100 |
| 3 | Maine | $40,080 |
$30,800 | 900 |
| 4 | Maryland | $37,580 |
$30,400 | 2,370 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $37,540 |
$29,440 | 450 |
| 6 | Alaska | $37,520 |
$36,820 | 220 |
| 7 | New York | $37,510 |
$30,450 | 4,370 |
| 8 | Washington | $37,440 |
$31,780 | 3,910 |
| 9 | California | $37,440 |
$31,970 | 14,190 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $37,090 |
$30,500 | 70 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $36,610 |
$30,240 | 1,180 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $36,370 |
$29,970 | 1,940 |
| 13 | Colorado | $36,190 |
$29,060 | 2,460 |
| 14 | Delaware | $36,100 |
$25,800 | 150 |
| 15 | Oregon | $36,050 |
$31,600 | 2,310 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $35,380 |
$29,730 | 1,070 |
| 17 | Arizona | $34,950 |
$28,480 | 2,800 |
| 18 | Illinois | $34,750 |
$27,590 | 3,530 |
| 19 | Florida | $33,620 |
$26,870 | 7,240 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $32,570 |
$24,680 | 4,170 |
| 21 | Nevada | $31,790 |
$29,500 | 1,190 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $31,690 |
$27,190 | 460 |
| 23 | Vermont | $31,480 |
$30,330 | 170 |
| 24 | Idaho | $31,380 |
$20,950 | 600 |
| 25 | Michigan | $31,200 |
$28,620 | 3,610 |
| 26 | Virginia | $31,110 |
$24,120 | 3,920 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $31,110 |
$26,190 | 1,870 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $31,060 |
$23,180 | 2,250 |
| 29 | Iowa | $30,830 |
$28,270 | 850 |
| 30 | Indiana | $30,300 |
$22,870 | 2,360 |
| 31 | Texas | $29,910 |
$21,910 | 7,780 |
| 32 | Ohio | $29,850 |
$23,520 | 4,530 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $29,790 |
$21,740 | 5,150 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $29,750 |
$21,300 | 190 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $29,680 |
$28,660 | 230 |
| 36 | Georgia | $29,610 |
$22,700 | 3,580 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $29,520 |
$23,150 | 3,360 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $29,450 |
$23,760 | 200 |
| 39 | Utah | $29,160 |
$23,280 | 970 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $29,150 |
$24,680 | 1,330 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $29,020 |
$22,880 | 1,120 |
| 42 | Missouri | $29,010 |
$25,080 | 2,140 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $28,810 |
$23,580 | 900 |
| 44 | Montana | $28,710 |
$25,870 | 560 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $28,610 |
$21,580 | 1,650 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $28,180 |
$18,800 | 1,050 |
| 47 | Alabama | $28,170 |
$20,180 | 1,550 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $27,870 |
$24,680 | 520 |
| 49 | Kansas | $27,700 |
$16,760 | 1,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $27,470 |
$19,660 | 280 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $26,540 |
$21,110 | 670 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $20,430 |
$18,120 | 420 |