Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$46,260
Median hourly
$22
Average annual
$47,250
Employed in state
16K
The median annual salary for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in California is $46,260, or about $22 an hour. That is 21% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $37,800 at the 10th percentile to $57,940 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 16K people work as veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$37,800
25th$39,760
Median$46,260
75th$49,290
90th$57,940
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $22.24
- Daily
- $178
- Weekly
- $890
- Bi-weekly
- $1,779
- Monthly
- $3,855
- Annual
- $46,260
$46,260 a year is around the 50th percentile for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss in California. The median is $46,260.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,400 | 2.1K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,210 | 620 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,270 | 350 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $47,150 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $46,990 | 1.7K |
| Salinas, CA | $46,990 | 160 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,720 | 2.0K |
| Vallejo, CA | $46,590 | 130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,070 | 4.8K |
| Napa, CA | $45,710 | 50 |
| Modesto, CA | $45,560 | 230 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $45,530 | 480 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $45,490 | 210 |
| Yuba City, CA | $45,490 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,810 | 1.3K |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990