Veterinary Technologists and Technicians salary in the U.S.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $47,380 a year ($22.78 an hour), based on BLS data for 129,140 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,180 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $49,120, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for veterinary technologists and technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,710 | $17.17 |
| 25th percentile | $38,910 | $18.71 |
| Median | $47,380 | $22.78 |
| 75th percentile | $57,650 | $27.72 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,180 | $30.38 |
| Average (mean) | $49,120 | $23.61 |
Half of veterinary technologists and technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,948.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,974.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,822.31 |
| Weekly | $911.15 |
| Hourly | $22.78 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $61,270 | 120 |
| California | $60,630 | 11,310 |
| Washington | $59,740 | 2,290 |
| New York | $59,010 | 5,350 |
| Minnesota | $57,270 | 3,560 |
| Oregon | $55,810 | 1,120 |
| Virginia | $52,090 | 2,790 |
| Connecticut | $50,950 | 1,690 |
| Maine | $50,810 | 910 |
| Nevada | $50,250 | 1,120 |
| Michigan | $49,710 | 2,550 |
| Colorado | $49,650 | 3,720 |
| Massachusetts | $49,540 | 3,990 |
| Vermont | $49,490 | 390 |
| New Jersey | $49,050 | 2,910 |
| North Dakota | $48,790 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $48,780 | 870 |
| Indiana | $48,720 | 1,820 |
| Hawaii | $48,550 | 270 |
| Delaware | $48,370 | 530 |
| Ohio | $47,990 | 4,790 |
| North Carolina | $47,620 | 2,580 |
| Maryland | $47,350 | 2,540 |
| Wisconsin | $47,020 | 2,590 |
| Alaska | $46,480 | 380 |
| Illinois | $46,440 | 5,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,430 | 6,620 |
| Florida | $46,380 | 11,380 |
| Arizona | $46,300 | 3,970 |
| Kansas | $45,810 | 1,270 |
| Iowa | $45,560 | 1,220 |
| Rhode Island | $45,310 | 530 |
| South Dakota | $45,300 | 300 |
| New Mexico | $44,790 | 890 |
| Nebraska | $43,680 | 690 |
| Missouri | $43,520 | 2,040 |
| Georgia | $43,060 | 2,410 |
| Tennessee | $42,810 | 1,640 |
| Idaho | $42,120 | 790 |
| Montana | $41,170 | 480 |
| Utah | $40,560 | 1,550 |
| Kentucky | $39,590 | 1,670 |
| Texas | $39,410 | 16,730 |
| Oklahoma | $39,100 | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $39,020 | 2,540 |
| Wyoming | $38,650 | 310 |
| Arkansas | $38,360 | 320 |
| West Virginia | $37,700 | 400 |
| Alabama | $36,590 | 1,880 |
| Mississippi | $36,380 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $35,530 | 2,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,970 | 480 |
Best-paying metro areas for veterinary technologists and technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,090 | 1,220 |
| Corvallis, OR | $67,960 | 80 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $67,280 | 470 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $62,810 | 150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,940 | 250 |
| Salinas, CA | $61,330 | 130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,260 | 1,170 |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,230 | 110 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $61,070 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,970 | 1,010 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $60,830 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,670 | 3,640 |
| Napa, CA | $60,410 | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $60,410 | 390 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,280 | 1,330 |
Metro areas with the most veterinary technologists and technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,850 | $59,680 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,570 | $44,360 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,640 | $60,670 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,570 | $44,110 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,370 | $48,340 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,250 | $47,820 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,970 | $50,970 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,760 | $46,390 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,640 | $47,620 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,520 | $59,090 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,150 | $57,630 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,870 | $45,100 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,820 | $47,100 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,780 | $56,580 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,730 | $39,560 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | $30.96 |
| Pharmacy Technician | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | $30.26 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | $38.52 |
| Medical Records Specialist | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Paramedic | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 | $46.44 |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | $35.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-2056. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a veterinary technologists and technicians make in the U.S.?
The median salary for veterinary technologists and technicians in the U.S. is $47,380 a year, or $22.78 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,180 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid veterinary technologists and technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of veterinary technologists and technicians in the U.S. earn at least $63,180 a year. The top 25% earn $57,650 or more.
What is the starting pay for veterinary technologists and technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,710 a year, and a quarter of veterinary technologists and technicians earn $38,910 or less.
How many veterinary technologists and technicians work in the U.S.?
About 129,140 veterinary technologists and technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.