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Best states for a vet assistant
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for vet assistants? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for vet assistant jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for vet assistants -- where there are plenty of vet assistant jobs to go around and vet assistants get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for vet assistants.Oregon is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for vet assistants.
10 best states for vet assistants in 2025
1. Oregon
Total vet assistant jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $34,692 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
2. Alaska
Total vet assistant jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $38,801 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
3. California
Total vet assistant jobs: 668 Average annual salary: $35,169 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
4. Massachusetts
Total vet assistant jobs: 239 Average annual salary: $32,154 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
5. Washington
Total vet assistant jobs: 141 Average annual salary: $32,807 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
6. Arizona
Total vet assistant jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $31,455 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
7. Utah
Total vet assistant jobs: 36 Average annual salary: $34,393 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
8. Pennsylvania
Total vet assistant jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $30,978 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. North Dakota
Total vet assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $34,349 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 0
10. Minnesota
Total vet assistant jobs: 102 Average annual salary: $30,705 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
Vet assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a vet assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a vet assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $34,692 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 73 |
| 2 | Alaska | $38,801 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 12 |
| 3 | California | $35,169 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 668 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $32,154 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 239 |
| 5 | Washington | $32,807 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 141 |
| 6 | Arizona | $31,455 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 122 |
| 7 | Utah | $34,393 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 36 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $30,978 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 170 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,349 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $30,705 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 102 |
| 11 | Vermont | $31,985 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 8 |
| 12 | Nevada | $29,967 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 36 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $31,940 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 8 |
| 14 | Idaho | $31,282 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 15 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $30,042 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 39 |
| 16 | Maine | $30,204 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 15 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $30,820 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 0 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,507 | $22,000 | 1,342,795 | 36 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $30,554 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 14 |
| 20 | New York | $31,971 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 104 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $30,284 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 2 |
| 22 | Colorado | $28,604 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 164 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $28,416 | $22,000 | 3,588,184 | 77 |
| 24 | Texas | $27,061 | $21,000 | 28,304,596 | 387 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $27,444 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 162 |
| 26 | Missouri | $29,484 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 51 |
| 27 | Indiana | $28,179 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 66 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $29,201 | $22,000 | 9,005,644 | 115 |
| 29 | Delaware | $28,247 | $21,000 | 961,939 | 17 |
| 30 | Illinois | $27,450 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 187 |
| 31 | Virginia | $28,026 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 165 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $26,088 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 65 |
| 33 | Florida | $25,368 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 624 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $25,915 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 37 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $25,429 | $20,000 | 5,795,483 | 81 |
| 36 | Maryland | $26,725 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 117 |
| 37 | Georgia | $24,933 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 226 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $25,632 | $21,000 | 1,427,538 | 16 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $26,700 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 12 |
| 40 | Michigan | $24,776 | $19,000 | 9,962,311 | 120 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $25,004 | $19,000 | 1,059,639 | 23 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,415 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 43 |
| 43 | Iowa | $24,984 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 49 |
| 44 | Ohio | $24,319 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 99 |
| 45 | Montana | $25,673 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 5 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,494 | $19,000 | 2,913,123 | 34 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $24,554 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $22,963 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 40 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $22,643 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 59 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $23,975 | $18,000 | 693,972 | 11 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $23,170 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 9 |
Highest paying states for vet assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. VET Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $34,692 |
| 2 | Alaska | $38,801 |
| 3 | California | $35,169 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $32,154 |
| 5 | Washington | $32,807 |
| 6 | Arizona | $31,455 |
| 7 | Utah | $34,393 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $30,978 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,349 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $30,705 |
| 11 | Vermont | $31,985 |
| 12 | Nevada | $29,967 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $31,940 |
| 14 | Idaho | $31,282 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $30,042 |
| 16 | Maine | $30,204 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $30,820 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,507 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $30,554 |
| 20 | New York | $31,971 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $30,284 |
| 22 | Colorado | $28,604 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $28,416 |
| 24 | Texas | $27,061 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $27,444 |
| 26 | Missouri | $29,484 |
| 27 | Indiana | $28,179 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $29,201 |
| 29 | Delaware | $28,247 |
| 30 | Illinois | $27,450 |
| 31 | Virginia | $28,026 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $26,088 |
| 33 | Florida | $25,368 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $25,915 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $25,429 |
| 36 | Maryland | $26,725 |
| 37 | Georgia | $24,933 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $25,632 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $26,700 |
| 40 | Michigan | $24,776 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $25,004 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,415 |
| 43 | Iowa | $24,984 |
| 44 | Ohio | $24,319 |
| 45 | Montana | $25,673 |
| 46 | Kansas | $24,494 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $24,554 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $22,963 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $22,643 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $23,975 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $23,170 |
Vet assistant best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025