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Veterinary surgery technician salary
Average veterinary surgery technician salary
$39,019
Understanding the Salary of Veterinary Surgery Technicians
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Veterinary Surgery Technician stands at $39,019 per year, translating to around $19 per hour. However, salaries can differ significantly based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific duties within veterinary practices. For instance, Veterinary Surgery Technicians in states like California and New York may earn higher salaries due to the elevated cost of living and greater demand for veterinary services.
Experience also plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level technicians can expect to earn less than those with several years of experience or specialized certifications. According to data, technicians with 5-10 years of experience can see their salaries increase significantly, reflecting their advanced skills and knowledge in the field.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers looking to enter this profession can find ample opportunities across various veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, and research facilities. Positions may range from assisting in surgical procedures to providing post-operative care. By enhancing qualifications through additional training or certifications, technicians can further increase their earning potential and career advancement opportunities in veterinary medicine.
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Where can a Veterinary Surgery Technician earn more?
Veterinary surgery technician salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level veterinary surgery technician | $34,100 | $16.39 |
| Mid-level veterinary surgery technician | $36,200 | $17.38 |
| Senior-level veterinary surgery technician | $43,700 | $21.01 |
Veterinary surgery technician salary estimates from across the web
Average veterinary surgery technician salary by state
The average veterinary surgery technician salary in California, Alaska, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average veterinary surgery technician salary states are Utah, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for veterinary surgery technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $45,584 | $21.92 |
| 2 | Nevada | $44,256 | $21.28 |
| 3 | Maine | $39,856 | $19.16 |
| 4 | Delaware | $42,516 | $20.44 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $41,789 | $20.09 |
| 6 | California | $50,759 | $24.40 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $41,250 | $19.83 |
| 8 | Virginia | $44,903 | $21.59 |
| 9 | Idaho | $43,935 | $21.12 |
| 10 | Washington | $44,326 | $21.31 |
| 11 | Arizona | $40,350 | $19.40 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $41,002 | $19.71 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $44,140 | $21.22 |
| 14 | Vermont | $40,039 | $19.25 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $41,057 | $19.74 |
| 16 | New York | $42,148 | $20.26 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $39,256 | $18.87 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $39,115 | $18.81 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $38,504 | $18.51 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,251 | $18.87 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $37,227 | $17.90 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $37,958 | $18.25 |
| 23 | Oregon | $40,929 | $19.68 |
| 24 | Ohio | $38,331 | $18.43 |
| 25 | Illinois | $38,326 | $18.43 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $37,055 | $17.81 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $38,459 | $18.49 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $39,703 | $19.09 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $38,589 | $18.55 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $35,756 | $17.19 |
| 31 | Michigan | $35,174 | $16.91 |
| 32 | Maryland | $38,851 | $18.68 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $42,460 | $20.41 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $41,082 | $19.75 |
| 35 | Indiana | $35,504 | $17.07 |
| 36 | Florida | $34,845 | $16.75 |
| 37 | Alabama | $35,740 | $17.18 |
| 38 | Iowa | $34,062 | $16.38 |
| 39 | Kansas | $33,366 | $16.04 |
| 40 | Missouri | $32,753 | $15.75 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $33,875 | $16.29 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $33,757 | $16.23 |
| 43 | Montana | $34,123 | $16.41 |
| 44 | Utah | $32,143 | $15.45 |
| 45 | Georgia | $30,697 | $14.76 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $32,089 | $15.43 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $33,301 | $16.01 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $31,591 | $15.19 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $32,286 | $15.52 |
| 50 | Texas | $30,397 | $14.61 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $29,236 | $14.06 |
Highest paying cities for veterinary surgery technicians
The highest-paying cities for veterinary surgery technicians are San Leandro, CA, Virginia Beach, VA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Leandro, CA | $51,529 | $24.77 |
| 2 | Virginia Beach, VA | $44,783 | $21.53 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $42,405 | $20.39 |
| 4 | Natick, MA | $41,305 | $19.86 |
| 5 | West Hartford, CT | $41,226 | $19.82 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $40,809 | $19.62 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $40,546 | $19.49 |
| 8 | Lafayette, CO | $39,262 | $18.88 |
| 9 | Mount Laurel, NJ | $39,013 | $18.76 |
| 10 | Annapolis, MD | $38,957 | $18.73 |
| 11 | Downers Grove, IL | $38,382 | $18.45 |
| 12 | Concord, NH | $38,304 | $18.42 |
| 13 | Winston-Salem, NC | $37,315 | $17.94 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $35,749 | $17.19 |
| 15 | Clearwater, FL | $35,091 | $16.87 |
| 16 | Ames, IA | $34,066 | $16.38 |
| 17 | Albuquerque, NM | $32,457 | $15.60 |
| 18 | Victoria, TX | $30,248 | $14.54 |
Veterinary surgery technician salary details
A veterinary surgery technician's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a veterinary surgery technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| Average | $39,019 | $3,252 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying veterinary surgery technician jobs
The highest paying types of veterinary surgery technicians are surgery technician, certified veterinary technician, and licensed veterinary technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Health Technician | $37,267 | $3,106 | $17.92 | 89,376 |
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Laboratory Animal Technician | $30,382 | $2,532 | $14.61 | 63,768 |
| Animal Technician | $31,378 | $2,615 | $15.09 | 39,917 |
| Clinical Technician | $35,760 | $2,980 | $17.19 | 161,812 |
| Registered Veterinary Technician | $40,204 | $3,350 | $19.33 | 23,036 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for veterinary surgery technicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Jamie Rauscher RVT
Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock
Top companies hiring veterinary surgery technicians now:
Which companies pay veterinary surgery technicians the most?
Veterinary surgery technician salaries at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin System are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average veterinary surgery technician salary at companies like Oregon Health & Science University and Ethos Veterinary Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $51,646 | $24.83 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin System | $49,973 | $24.03 |
| 3 | Oregon Health & Science University | $46,518 | $22.36 |
| 4 | Ethos Veterinary Health | $43,222 | $20.78 |
| 5 | VCA Animal Hospitals | $40,774 | $19.60 |
| 6 | BluePearl Vet | $40,600 | $19.52 |
| 7 | Austin Community College District | $39,597 | $19.04 |
| 8 | National Veterinary Associates | $39,149 | $18.82 |
| 9 | Virginia's Community Colleges | $38,241 | $18.39 |
| 10 | Iowa State University | $34,694 | $16.68 |
| 11 | Tufts University | $33,947 | $16.32 |
| 12 | University of Tennessee | $33,568 | $16.14 |
| 13 | Johns Hopkins University | $32,955 | $15.84 |
| 14 | University of Florida | $31,470 | $15.13 |
| 15 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | $31,308 | $15.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Veterinary surgery technician salary trends
The average veterinary surgery technician salary has risen by $6,585 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average veterinary surgery technician earned $32,434 annually, but today, they earn $39,019 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for veterinary surgery technicians over the last decade.
Compare veterinary surgery technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average veterinary surgery technician salary over time
Compare veterinary surgery technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Veterinary surgery technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,000 | $18.76 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $38,000 | $18.27 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $37,000 | $17.81 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $35,900 | $17.28 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $35,000 | $16.81 | +2.1% |
Recently added veterinary surgery technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care | Large Animal Hospital Service VET Technician I or II-Surgery (Care) | Gainesville, FL | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Texas A&M University | Veterinary Technician II-Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery | College Station, TX | 06/27/2025 | $41,823 |
| Ethos Veterinary Health | Surgery Veterinary Technician, BVH | Lawrence, MA | 06/27/2025 | $50,088 |
| University of Florida | Large Animal Hospital Service VET Technician I or II-Surgery (Care) | Gainesville, FL | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| VCA Animal Hospitals | Surgery Veterinary Technician | Aurora, IL | 06/25/2025 | $52,175 |
| Ethos Veterinary Health | Veterinary Surgery Technician, Dvsc | Frisco, TX | 06/25/2025 | $43,827 |
| Ethos Veterinary Health | Veterinary Technician, Surgery | Dublin, CA | 06/24/2025 | $52,175 |
| VCA Animal Hospitals | Credentialed Veterinary Technician-Surgery/Anesthesia | Ithaca, NY | 06/20/2025 | $50,088 |
| VCA Animal Hospitals | Veterinary Technician Surgery | Shelton, CT | 06/20/2025 | $45,914 |
| Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon | Veterinary Surgery Technician (CVT) | Portland, OR | 06/19/2025 | $56,349 |
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