Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of vet assistant salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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Alaska has the highest vet assistant salary of $38,801
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South Carolina has the lowest vet assistant salary of $22,643
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The national average salary for vet assistants is $30,687
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The national hourly pay for vet assistants is $14.75
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains a top priority for job seekers, and vet assistants are no exception. Many professionals in the veterinary field are increasingly focused on not just salary, but also benefits and work-life balance, especially in a world that has adapted to remote and hybrid work environments.
While various factors influence individual salaries, comprehensive data is available on average salaries for vet assistants by state, which can guide your expectations based on your location and experience level.
Alaska consistently ranks as the state with the highest salary for vet assistants, reflecting its demand for qualified professionals in the field. Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for vet assistant salaries in 2026:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Vet Assistants By State
| Rank | State | Average Vet Assistant Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $38,801 | $31,000 | $47,000 |
| 2 | California | $35,169 | $27,000 | $44,000 |
| 3 | Oregon | $34,692 | $27,000 | $44,000 |
| 4 | Utah | $34,393 | $27,000 | $43,000 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $34,349 | $27,000 | $43,000 |
| 6 | Washington | $32,807 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $32,154 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 8 | Vermont | $31,985 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 9 | New York | $31,971 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $31,940 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 11 | Arizona | $31,455 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 12 | Idaho | $31,282 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $30,978 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $30,820 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $30,705 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $30,554 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $30,284 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 18 | Maine | $30,204 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $30,042 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 20 | Nevada | $29,967 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 21 | Missouri | $29,484 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $29,201 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 23 | Colorado | $28,604 | $23,000 | $35,000 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $28,507 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $28,416 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 26 | Delaware | $28,247 | $21,000 | $36,000 |
| 27 | Indiana | $28,179 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 28 | Virginia | $28,026 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 29 | Illinois | $27,450 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $27,444 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 31 | Texas | $27,061 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 32 | Maryland | $26,725 | $20,000 | $34,000 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $26,700 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $26,088 | $21,000 | $32,000 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $25,915 | $21,000 | $31,000 |
| 36 | Montana | $25,673 | $20,000 | $32,000 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $25,632 | $21,000 | $30,000 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $25,429 | $20,000 | $32,000 |
| 39 | Alabama | $25,415 | $20,000 | $31,000 |
| 40 | Florida | $25,368 | $20,000 | $31,000 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $25,004 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 42 | Iowa | $24,984 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 43 | Georgia | $24,933 | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| 44 | Michigan | $24,776 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $24,554 | $19,000 | $30,000 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,494 | $19,000 | $30,000 |
| 47 | Ohio | $24,319 | $19,000 | $31,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $23,170 | $18,000 | $28,000 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $22,963 | $18,000 | $28,000 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $22,643 | $18,000 | $28,000 |
Methodology: Vet Assistant Salary By State
To better understand vet assistant pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We then supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job posts. Finally, the data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for vet assistants by state.
We took the average annual salary data for vet assistants from these estimates and ranked every state on this criteria with the state with the highest salary ranking as highest average salary for vet assistants.
Vet Assistant Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for vet assistants?
The highest-paid state for vet assistants is Alaska with an average salary of $38,801 per year.
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What city pays vet assistants the most?
Santa Rosa, CA pays vet assistants the most with an average salary of $36,373 per year.
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What is the worst state for vet assistants?
The worst state for vet assistants is South Carolina with an average salary of $22,643 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
