Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 129K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$47,380
Median hourly
$23
Average annual
$49,120
Typical range
$35,710–$63,180
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $47,380 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $23 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases.
Most earn between $35,710 and $63,180 a year. There are roughly 129K people employed as veterinary technologists and technicians in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians.
- Hourly
- $22.78
- Daily
- $182
- Weekly
- $911
- Bi-weekly
- $1,822
- Monthly
- $3,948
- Annual
- $47,380
$47,380 a year is around the 50th percentile for Veterinary Technologists and Technicianss. The median is $47,380.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1District of Columbia$61,270
- 2California$60,630
- 3Washington$59,740
- 4New York$59,010
- 5Minnesota$57,270
- 6Oregon$55,810
- 7Virginia$52,090
- 8Connecticut$50,950
- 9Maine$50,810
- 10Nevada$50,250
- 11Michigan$49,710
- 12Colorado$49,650
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$71,090
- 2Corvallis, OR$67,960
- 3San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$67,280
- 4Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$62,810
- 5Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$61,940
- 6Salinas, CA$61,330
- 7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$61,260
- 8Vallejo, CA$61,230
- 9Kennewick-Richland, WA$61,070
- 10Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$60,970
- 11Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$60,830
- 12Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$60,670
Related job titles
Employers advertise Veterinary Technologists and Technicians roles under these titles.
- Animal Technician (Animal Tech)
- Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
- Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech)
- Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT)
- Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)
- Swine Technician (Swine Tech)
- Veterinarian Lab Technician (Veterinary Lab Tech)
- Veterinarian Technician (Vet Tech)
- Veterinary Assistant (Vet Assistant)
- Veterinary Laboratory Technician (Vet Lab Tech)
- Veterinary Nurse (Vet Nurse)
- Veterinary Surgery Technician (Vet Surgery Tech)
- Veterinary Surgery Technologist (Vet Surgery Technologist)
- Veterinary Technician (Vet Tech)
- Veterinary Technologist
- Veterinary X-Ray Operator
Related occupations
What a Veterinary Technologists and Technicians does
- Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.
- Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
- Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.
- Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Restrain animals during exams or procedures.
- Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures.
- Provide veterinarians with the correct equipment or instruments, as needed.
- Perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Veterinary Technologists and Technicians make?
- The median annual wage for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $47,380 ($23 per hour). Pay ranges from about $35,710 at the 10th percentile to $63,180 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Veterinary Technologists and Technicians?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $49,120, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Veterinary Technologists and Technicianss the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $61,270.
- Is Veterinary Technologists and Technicians a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 129K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Veterinary Technologists and Technicians do?
- Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.; Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.; Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books..