The average annual salaries for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in the state of Washington are shown in Table 1. The comparison of the salary statistics of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers among Washington areas is shown in Table 2. The salary statistics are based on the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].
| Percentile bracket | Average annual salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $31,780 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $36,120 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $37,440 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $42,160 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $45,500 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Washington in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is $45,500. The median (50th percentile) annual salary is $37,440. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $31,780.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers from 2012 to 2022.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 10-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $37,440 | 2.30% | 34.16% |
| 2021 | $36,580 | 10.44% | - |
| 2020 | $32,760 | 3.66% | - |
| 2019 | $31,560 | 4.12% | - |
| 2018 | $30,260 | 3.44% | - |
| 2017 | $29,220 | 2.16% | - |
| 2016 | $28,590 | 5.14% | - |
| 2015 | $27,120 | 4.46% | - |
| 2014 | $25,910 | 0.08% | - |
| 2013 | $25,890 | 4.79% | - |
| 2012 | $24,650 | - | - |
Table 3 shows the median annual salary of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in some Washington cities and metropolitan areas. We note that the median annual salary of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in state of Washington ranges from $22,450 to $38,360. The highest paying area for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Washington is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue with a median annual salary of $38,360. The second highest paying city/area in Washington State is Bremerton-Silverdale (mean annual salary $36,920). The lowest paying area is Wenatchee-East Wenatchee with a median annual salary of $22,450.