Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
SOC 31-9096BLS OEWS May 2025
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists. Excludes “Animal Caretakers” (39-2021).
National median · BLS
$38,150
▲ +2.22%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$40,340
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
126,580
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$30,120
25th
$35,660
Median (50th)
$38,150
75th
$45,710
90th — top pay
$49,150
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
BLS projects employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers to grow 9.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 23,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
132,100 → 144,200
+12,000 jobs
Projected change
+9.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
23,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
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Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.5
Critical Thinking3.3
Monitoring3.1
Reading Comprehension3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Writing3.1
Coordination3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.0
Speaking3.0
Time Management3.0
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.3
English Language3.8
Biology3.6
Administrative3.5
Medicine and Dentistry3.5
Computers and Electronics3.2
Mathematics2.9
Communications and Media2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordIDEXX Laboratories IDEXX CornerstoneLabeling softwareMcAllister Software Systems AVImarkPractice management software PMSScheduling software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers do
Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
Fill medication prescriptions.
Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
Animal Care Service WorkerAnimal Care SpecialistAnimal CaretakerAnimal Health TechnicianLaboratory Animal CaretakerLaboratory Animal TechnicianVeterinarian Helper (Vet Helper)Veterinary AttendantVeterinary Kennel Assistant (Vet Kennel Assistant)Veterinary Receptionist (Vet Receptionist)
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $38,150.
