Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$35,710
- 25th Percentile — Junior$38,910
- 50th Percentile — Median$47,380
- 75th Percentile — Senior$57,650
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$63,180
The top 10% of Veterinary Technologists earn $63,180 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $35,710, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $65,370 | +33.1% |
| Alaska | $63,720 | +29.7% |
| California | $61,400 | +25.0% |
| New York | $61,080 | +24.3% |
| Washington | $59,940 | +22.0% |
| Oregon | $56,570 | +15.2% |
| Minnesota | $55,470 | +12.9% |
| Connecticut | $55,300 | +12.6% |
| Virginia | $54,480 | +10.9% |
| Nevada | $53,450 | +8.8% |
| Massachusetts | $53,170 | +8.2% |
| New Jersey | $52,780 | +7.5% |
| Maryland | $52,730 | +7.3% |
| Colorado | $52,010 | +5.9% |
| Maine | $51,720 | +5.3% |
| Michigan | $51,360 | +4.6% |
| New Hampshire | $50,840 | +3.5% |
| Vermont | $50,670 | +3.2% |
| Illinois | $49,980 | +1.8% |
| Rhode Island | $49,590 | +1.0% |
| Hawaii | $49,460 | +0.7% |
| Delaware | $48,740 | -0.8% |
| Indiana | $48,480 | -1.3% |
| Wisconsin | $48,210 | -1.9% |
| North Carolina | $48,120 | -2.0% |
| Ohio | $47,900 | -2.5% |
| North Dakota | $47,680 | -2.9% |
| Arizona | $47,470 | -3.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $47,270 | -3.8% |
| Iowa | $47,010 | -4.3% |
| Kansas | $46,440 | -5.5% |
| Florida | $46,300 | -5.7% |
| Nebraska | $44,490 | -9.4% |
| Montana | $44,140 | -10.1% |
| Tennessee | $43,960 | -10.5% |
| Georgia | $43,720 | -11.0% |
| South Dakota | $43,660 | -11.1% |
| South Carolina | $43,330 | -11.8% |
| New Mexico | $43,190 | -12.1% |
| Missouri | $42,600 | -13.3% |
| Idaho | $42,300 | -13.9% |
| Utah | $42,140 | -14.2% |
| Texas | $42,030 | -14.4% |
| Oklahoma | $42,000 | -14.5% |
| Kentucky | $40,880 | -16.8% |
| West Virginia | $39,230 | -20.1% |
| Wyoming | $39,170 | -20.3% |
| Arkansas | $38,490 | -21.6% |
| Mississippi | $37,230 | -24.2% |
| Alabama | $36,600 | -25.5% |
| Louisiana | $35,980 | -26.8% |
What Factors Affect Veterinary Technologists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Veterinary Technologists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $65,370, while Louisiana pays $35,980 — a gap of $29,390 per year.
The middle half of Veterinary Technologists earn between $38,910 and $57,650 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35,710, while the top 10% earn more than $63,180.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Veterinary Technologists?
The average salary for Veterinary Technologists in the United States is $49,120 per year, with a median of $47,380.
What is the starting salary for Veterinary Technologists?
Entry-level Veterinary Technologists typically earn between $35,710 and $38,910 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Veterinary Technologists the most?
District of Columbia pays Veterinary Technologists the most at $65,370 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($63,720) and California ($61,400).
How much do Veterinary Technologists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $49,120, Veterinary Technologists earn approximately $23.62 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Veterinary Technologists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 129,140 Veterinary Technologists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $49,120 and a median of $47,380 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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