Veterinary Assistant Salary
The average veterinary assistant salary is $23,130.00, but as you work in the field and gain experience, your salary can increase commensurate with your experience level. Some veterinarians will have the veterinary assistant run the office, completing a large number of administrative tasks, along with taking care of the patients as they arrive and getting them ready for a visit with the veterinarian.
Best Prospects
The highest paid veterinary assistants were those working in the state of Massachusetts, with an average salary of $32,040. Higher salaries are routinely offered for jobs with universities, as high as $32,310, and animal research facilities. The lower wage earners routinely worked for social advocacy organizations - as low as $23,000. About 90% of veterinary assistants currently working in the field are earning salaries in the range of $23,600.
Job Outlook
Some veterinarian offices work with household pets like cats and dogs while other veterinarian practices cover larger animals including horses, cows, pigs, goats and sheep. Some veterinarians have dedicated jobs in zoos and this can be a very rewarding career for the right candidate. The job outlook is that the field will grow by 10% by 2022.
Veterinary Assistant Salary by State
| State | Lowest 10% | Median Salary | Highest 10% | Average Salary | |
| Alabama | $16,520 | $21,050 | $31,320 | $21,980 | |
| Alaska | $19,000 | $29,580 | $39,490 | $29,330 | |
| Arizona | $17,120 | $22,540 | $30,320 | $23,560 | |
| Arkansas | $16,740 | $21,640 | $30,080 | $22,340 | |
| California | $18,680 | $26,440 | $38,490 | $27,990 | |
| Colorado | $18,680 | $26,440 | $38,490 | $27,990 | |
| Connecticut | $19,380 | $27,210 | $33,450 | $23,960 | |
| Delaware | $20,600 | $28,800 | $50,910 | $31,450 | |
| Florida | $16,790 | $20,600 | $28,890 | $21,880 | |
| Georgia | $16,650 | $21,670 | $33,600 | $23,030 | |
| Hawaii | $17,110 | $24,490 | $33,780 | $24,530 | |
| Idaho | $16,320 | $20,850 | $30,560 | $22,040 | |
| Illinois | $18,240 | $22,350 | $33,360 | $23,810 | |
| Indiana | $16,760 | $22,660 | $33,890 | $24,060 | |
| Iowa | $16,440 | $21,750 | $30,460 | $22,590 | |
| Kansas | $16,320 | $19,730 | $28,800 | $20,990 | |
| Kentucky | $15,980 | $18,700 | $25,650 | $19,440 | |
| Louisiana | $16,270 | $20,170 | $29,120 | $21,260 | |
| Maine | $21,180 | $28,610 | $40,400 | $30,140 | |
| Maryland | $17,260 | $23,430 | $38,760 | $26,240 | |
| Massachusetts | $19,620 | $30,440 | $45,540 | $32,040 | |
| Michigan | $17,620 | $24,430 | $34,740 | $25,140 | |
| Minnesota | $19,690 | $28,740 | $37,780 | $28,880 | |
| Mississippi | $16,180 | $19,420 | $26,460 | $20,040 | |
| Missouri | $16,160 | $19,400 | $26,940 | $20,410 | |
| Montana | $17,010 | $22,540 | $30,140 | $23,270 | |
| Nebraska | $16,610 | $22,290 | $34,100 | $23,500 | |
| Nevada | $16,840 | $23,850 | $37,140 | $26,080 | |
| New Hampshire | $16,910 | $24,690 | $31,470 | $24,190 | |
| New Jersey | $17,620 | $23,760 | $30,650 | $24,570 | |
| New Mexico | $17,760 | $24,120 | $30,450 | $24,240 | |
| New York | $18,750 | $25,930 | $41,200 | $28,050 | |
| North Carolina | $16,340 | $21,440 | $33,780 | $23,030 | |
| North Dakota | $17,970 | $21,540 | $33,780 | $23,030 | |
| Ohio | $17,170 | $21,980 | $29,980 | $22,800 | |
| Oklahoma | $17,130 | $24,620 | $36,680 | $25,910 | |
| Oregon | $18,960 | $24,140 | $29,620 | $24,200 | |
| Pennsylvania | $17,330 | $23,250 | $34,700 | $24,620 | |
| Rhode Island | $17,360 | $26,360 | $34,750 | $26,120 | |
| South Carolina | $16,830 | $24,660 | $32,360 | $24,960 | |
| South Dakota | $16,400 | $20,300 | $26,950 | $20,720 | |
| Tennessee | $17,120 | $23,070 | $31,090 | $23,720 | |
| Texas | $16,310 | $20,720 | $35,910 | $23,370 | |
| Utah | $15,880 | $18,440 | $28,080 | $19,870 | |
| Vermont | $18,140 | $22,090 | $29,460 | $23,380 | |
| Virginia | $17,140 | $24,920 | $35,740 | $25,370 | |
| Washington | $19,480 | $24,650 | $31,380 | $25,340 | |
| West Virginia | $16,210 | $19,600 | $28,290 | $20,730 | |
| Wisconsin | $16,890 | $23,390 | $29,980 | $23,460 | |
| Wyoming | $16,790 | $23,380 | $41,720 | $25,800 |