Careers / Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$38,150
United States, 2025
Employment
126,580
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 31-9096.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$30,120
25th percentile
$35,660
75th percentile
$45,710
90th percentile
$49,150
Most important skills
- Active Listening3.5
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Writing3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Instructing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 10 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
10
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.5 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.4 | Not selected | 2.4 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| RI | $49,770 | 380 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $49,400 | 2,150 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $49,210 | 620 | 2025 |
| Kahului, HI | $49,200 | 60 | 2025 |
| DC | $49,080 | 240 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $47,270 | 350 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $47,150 | 200 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $46,990 | 1,740 | 2025 |
| Salinas, CA | $46,990 | 160 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $46,720 | 1,970 | 2025 |
| MA | $46,670 | 2,130 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $46,590 | 130 | 2025 |
| CA | $46,260 | 16,080 | 2025 |
| NJ | $46,160 | 3,270 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $46,160 | 5,560 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $46,070 | 4,830 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $45,910 | 1,150 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $45,790 | 1,800 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $45,710 | 50 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $45,690 | 1,890 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.