How much does a vet assistant make?

The average vet assistant salary in the United States is $30,687. Vet assistant salaries typically range between $24,000 and $38,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for vet assistants is $14.75 per hour. Vet assistant salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Vet assistants earn the highest average salary in Alaska.

Vet assistant salary

Q: What state pays VET Assistants the most?

Alaska pays VET Assistants the most in the United States, with an average salary of $38,801 per year, or $18.65 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a vet assistant?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a vet assistant if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $35,169 per year.

Q: What is a good starting salary for a VET Assistant?

A good starting salary for a vet assistant is $23,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a vet assistant in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for vet assistants is $29,807, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a vet assistant can vary by state.

Q: Does a vet assistant get paid well?

No, a vet assistant does not get paid well. The average pay for a vet assistant is $28,000 a year ($13.50 an hour). This can range anywhere from $20,000 a year ($10.02 an hour) to $38,000 a year ($18.27 an hour). Factors such as location and years of experience impact how much a vet assistant is paid.

Q: Where do vet assistants get paid the most?

Vet assistants get paid the most in Seattle, WA. The average salary for a vet assistant is $13.50 an hour. However, a vet assistant in Seattle earns an average of $18.06 an hour. Factors such as location and company impact how much a vet assistant can make.

Average vet assistant salary

$14.75

$30,687 yearly

Entry-level vet assistant salary

$24,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Vet Assistant Salaries

As of October 2025, the average salary for a vet assistant is approximately $30,687 annually, translating to around $15 per hour. Salary levels vary based on experience, location, and the type of employment setting. For instance, vet assistants in urban areas often earn more due to higher living costs.

Salary Variations by State

The salary for vet assistants can differ significantly across states. For example, states like California and New York typically offer higher compensation, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in veterinary care. Other states may provide lower average salaries, but opportunities can still be plentiful.

Career Progression

With experience, vet assistants may take on additional responsibilities or specialize in areas such as animal behavior or emergency care, which can lead to increased salaries. Additionally, pursuing certifications can enhance job prospects and earning potential in this fulfilling career path.

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Vet assistant salary by:

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Where can a VET Assistant earn more?

Compare salary by location

54k

34k

14k

-6k

Columbus, OH$36,373

Columbus, OH$24,030

Compare salary by company

62k

42k

22k

Michigan State University$38,563

noahshospitals$31,712

Vet assistant salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor and Comparably, the average salary for a vet assistant typically falls between $30,687 and $46,253.

zippia

$30,687yearly

glassdoor[1]

$43,000yearly

comparably[2]

$46,253yearly

Salary.com[3]

$33,564yearly

Average vet assistant salary by state

The average vet assistant salary in Alaska, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average vet assistant salary states are South Dakota, Kansas, and Ohio.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for vet assistants

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Oregon	$34,692	$16.68
2	Alaska	$38,801	$18.65
3	California	$35,169	$16.91
4	Massachusetts	$32,154	$15.46
5	Washington	$32,807	$15.77
6	Arizona	$31,455	$15.12
7	Utah	$34,393	$16.54
8	Pennsylvania	$30,978	$14.89
9	North Dakota	$34,349	$16.51
10	Minnesota	$30,705	$14.76
11	Vermont	$31,985	$15.38
12	Nevada	$29,967	$14.41
13	Nebraska	$31,940	$15.36
14	Idaho	$31,282	$15.04
15	Kentucky	$30,042	$14.44
16	Maine	$30,204	$14.52
17	West Virginia	$30,820	$14.82
18	New Hampshire	$28,507	$13.71
19	Mississippi	$30,554	$14.69
20	New York	$31,971	$15.37
21	Wyoming	$30,284	$14.56
22	Colorado	$28,604	$13.75
23	Connecticut	$28,416	$13.66
24	Texas	$27,061	$13.01
25	North Carolina	$27,444	$13.19
26	Missouri	$29,484	$14.18
27	Indiana	$28,179	$13.55
28	New Jersey	$29,201	$14.04
29	Delaware	$28,247	$13.58
30	Illinois	$27,450	$13.20
31	Virginia	$28,026	$13.47
32	Tennessee	$26,088	$12.54
33	Florida	$25,368	$12.20
34	Oklahoma	$25,915	$12.46
35	Wisconsin	$25,429	$12.23
36	Maryland	$26,725	$12.85
37	Georgia	$24,933	$11.99
38	Hawaii	$25,632	$12.32
39	New Mexico	$26,700	$12.84
40	Michigan	$24,776	$11.91
41	Rhode Island	$25,004	$12.02
42	Alabama	$25,415	$12.22
43	Iowa	$24,984	$12.01
44	Ohio	$24,319	$11.69
45	Montana	$25,673	$12.34
46	Kansas	$24,494	$11.78
47	South Dakota	$24,554	$11.80
48	Louisiana	$22,963	$11.04
49	South Carolina	$22,643	$10.89
50	District of Columbia	$23,975	$11.53
51	Arkansas	$23,170	$11.14

Top vet assistant jobs near you

Highest paying cities for vet assistants

The highest-paying cities for vet assistants are Santa Rosa, CA, Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Santa Rosa, CA	$36,373	$17.49
2	Portland, OR	$34,674	$16.67
3	Seattle, WA	$33,015	$15.87
4	Oceanside, NY	$32,000	$15.38
5	Phoenix, AZ	$31,522	$15.15
6	Reno, NV	$30,738	$14.78
7	Wheat Ridge, CO	$28,601	$13.75
8	Nashua, NH	$28,508	$13.71
9	Indianapolis, IN	$28,042	$13.48
10	Chapel Hill, NC	$27,609	$13.27
11	Chicago, IL	$27,539	$13.24
12	San Antonio, TX	$27,244	$13.10
13	Glen Burnie, MD	$26,784	$12.88
14	Jacksonville, FL	$25,825	$12.42
15	Marietta, GA	$25,074	$12.05
16	Manhattan, KS	$24,548	$11.80
17	Columbus, OH	$24,030	$11.55

VET Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Vet assistant salary details

A vet assistant's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average vet assistant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a vet assistant's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$38,000	$3,167	$18
75th Percentile	$34,000	$2,833	$16
Average	$30,687	$2,557	$15
25th Percentile	$27,000	$2,250	$13
10th Percentile	$24,000	$2,000	$12

Highest paying vet assistant jobs

The highest paying types of vet assistants are veterinarian assistant, avian keeper, and veterinary technician assistant.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Laboratory Animal Caretaker	$26,564	$2,214	$12.77	45,979
Kennel Technician	$26,664	$2,222	$12.82	30,123
Veterinary Technician	$38,441	$3,203	$18.48	41,022

Top companies hiring vet assistants now:

Which companies pay vet assistants the most?

Vet assistant salaries at Michigan State University and City of Jacksonville are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average vet assistant salary at companies like CVS Health and Nestlé are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Michigan State University	$38,563	$18.54
2	City of Jacksonville	$36,274	$17.44
3	CVS Health	$34,914	$16.79
4	Nestlé	$34,275	$16.48
5	University of Wisconsin System	$34,193	$16.44
6	Helen Woodward Animal Center	$33,811	$16.26
7	San Diego Humane Society	$33,648	$16.18
8	City of Springfield	$33,630	$16.17
9	Acc Of Nyc	$33,621	$16.16
10	Ethos Veterinary Health	$33,469	$16.09
11	Medical Management International	$33,457	$16.09
12	Kitsap Humane Society	$33,429	$16.07
13	Charles River Center	$33,367	$16.04
14	ASPCA	$32,673	$15.71
15	Animal Humane Society	$32,583	$15.66
16	The Animal Medical Center	$32,361	$15.56
17	VCA Animal Hospitals	$32,190	$15.48
18	McDonough District Hospital	$32,167	$15.46
19	Banfield Pet Hospital	$31,893	$15.33
20	noahshospitals	$31,712	$15.25

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$32,000$31,600$31,200$30,800$30,400$30,000

MaleFemale

Vet assistant salary trends

The average vet assistant salary has risen by $7,280 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average vet assistant earned $23,407 annually, but today, they earn $30,687 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for vet assistants over the last decade.

Compare vet assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average vet assistant salary over time

Compare vet assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Vet assistant salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$30,700	$14.75	+4.5%
2024	$29,300	$14.09	+3.7%
2023	$28,200	$13.58	+5.1%
2022	$26,800	$12.89	+3.4%
2021	$25,900	$12.45	+3.5%

Recently added vet assistant salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
VCA Animal Hospitals	Veterinary Assistant-Radiology	Denver, CO	06/30/2025	$39,256
VCA Animal Hospitals	Veterinary Assistant Er/Icu	Evansville, IN	06/30/2025	$33,392
Community Veterinary Partners, LLC	Veterinary Assistant for Hybrid Gp/Urgent Care	Cumberland, MD	06/29/2025	$34,436
Destination Pet	Veterinary Assistant	San Juan Capistrano, CA	06/29/2025	$37,566
Destination Pet	Veterinary Assistant	Santa Fe, NM	06/29/2025	$41,740
Destination Pet	Veterinary Assistant	Westminster, CO	06/29/2025	$31,305
Destination Pet	Veterinary Assistant	Miami, FL	06/29/2025	$33,392
Modern Animal	Veterinary Assistant-Russian Hill	San Francisco, CA	06/29/2025	$55,097
Mission Veterinary Partners	Veterinary Assistant	Ballwin, MO	06/29/2025	$37,566
Mission Veterinary Partners	Veterinary Assistant	North Myrtle Beach, SC	06/29/2025	$33,392