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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
What does a Veterinary Assistant actually earn in 2026? The national weighted average lands at $37,244 — but that single number is deceptively simple. Across the 288 cities in our database, median pay ranges from $26,560 to $67,840. The $26,071 gap between entry-level (P10) and senior (P90) pay tells you this career has real earning trajectory — if you're in the right place.
Positioned in Agriculture within the broader Agriculture industry, Veterinary Assistants typically hold High school diploma. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is clinical. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$41,280 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Veterinary Assistant in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $67,840 — $41,280 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($26,560). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That's a meaningful difference in take-home pay — not just a rounding error.
The salary distribution for Veterinary Assistants reveals a $26,071 spread from entry to senior. At $37,244, the median sits $43,123 below the national median household income of $80,367. Context matters: this is an individual salary, compared against household income. The P10 floor of $26,816 represents early-career or part-time positions, while the $52,887 ceiling captures experienced professionals in premium markets.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $63,360 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $26,773 (average of the bottom 3). That $36,587 delta is real money — $3,049/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Veterinary Assistant in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $67,840 — $41,280 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($26,560). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The 10th-percentile (entry-level) Veterinary Assistant salary averages $26,816 nationally. That's below the typical median household income, which means early-career earnings depend heavily on location and cost of living.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $26,816 | $37,244 | $52,887 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £13,935 | £19,354 | £27,483 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$22,069 | CA$30,651 | CA$43,524 |
| Australia | 13 | A$27,573 | A$38,295 | A$54,379 |
| Sweden | 24 | 154,631 kr | 214,765 kr | 304,967 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $32,366 | $44,952 | $63,832 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $31,277 | $43,440 | $61,685 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $31,104 | $43,200 | $61,344 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $28,800 | $40,000 | $56,800 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $28,454 | $39,520 | $56,118 |
| Washington | 8 | $27,907 | $38,760 | $55,039 |
| New York | 5 | $26,265 | $36,480 | $51,801 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $26,266 | $36,480 | $51,802 |
| Florida | 22 | $26,067 | $36,204 | $51,409 |
| Colorado | 11 | $25,616 | $35,578 | $50,521 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $25,574 | $35,520 | $50,438 |
| Nevada | 5 | $25,528 | $35,456 | $50,347 |
| Arizona | 12 | $25,402 | $35,280 | $50,098 |
| Oregon | 5 | $25,344 | $35,200 | $49,984 |
| Idaho | 3 | $25,267 | $35,093 | $49,833 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $25,068 | $34,816 | $49,439 |
| Utah | 4 | $24,998 | $34,720 | $49,302 |
| Virginia | 7 | $24,587 | $34,149 | $48,491 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $24,269 | $33,707 | $47,863 |
| Alaska | 1 | $24,192 | $33,600 | $47,712 |
| Illinois | 5 | $23,915 | $33,216 | $47,167 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $23,322 | $32,391 | $45,995 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $23,040 | $32,000 | $45,440 |
| Montana | 1 | $23,040 | $32,000 | $45,440 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $22,963 | $31,893 | $45,288 |
| Texas | 40 | $22,850 | $31,736 | $45,065 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $22,810 | $31,680 | $44,986 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $22,695 | $31,520 | $44,759 |
| Georgia | 6 | $22,618 | $31,413 | $44,607 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $22,579 | $31,360 | $44,531 |
| Kansas | 4 | $22,464 | $31,200 | $44,304 |
| Michigan | 6 | $22,387 | $31,093 | $44,153 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $22,119 | $30,720 | $43,623 |
| Maryland | 1 | $22,118 | $30,720 | $43,622 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $21,888 | $30,400 | $43,168 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $21,888 | $30,400 | $43,168 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $21,312 | $29,600 | $42,032 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $21,197 | $29,440 | $41,805 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $20,909 | $29,040 | $41,237 |
| Missouri | 4 | $20,909 | $29,040 | $41,237 |
| Alabama | 5 | $20,828 | $28,928 | $41,078 |
| Indiana | 3 | $20,506 | $28,480 | $40,442 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $20,506 | $28,480 | $40,442 |
| Iowa | 2 | $20,275 | $28,160 | $39,987 |
| Ohio | 6 | $20,237 | $28,107 | $39,912 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $19,354 | $26,880 | $38,170 |
The state salary map for Veterinary Assistants: California at $44,952, Massachusetts at $43,440, Hawaii at $43,200 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($26,880), Ohio ($28,107), Iowa ($28,160) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $18,072.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($67,840 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $32,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $67,840 | 212 | $32,000 | $43,650 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $63,360 | 198 | $32,000 | $41,094 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $58,880 | 184 | $32,000 | $38,538 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $57,920 | 181 | $32,000 | $37,990 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $56,960 | 178 | $32,000 | $37,443 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $56,640 | 177 | $32,000 | $37,260 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $56,640 | 177 | $32,000 | $37,260 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $55,360 | 173 | $32,000 | $36,530 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $55,360 | 173 | $32,000 | $36,530 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $54,080 | 169 | $32,000 | $35,800 |
Career economics for Veterinary Assistants: entry level averages $26,816, mid-career hits $37,244, and experienced professionals reach $52,887. That's a 2.0× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires High school diploma, and the work is clinical. The outlook: growing. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The weighted national median salary for Veterinary Assistants is $37,244 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $26,816, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $52,887.
The highest-paying city for Veterinary Assistants is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $67,840. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($67,840), Santa Clara ($63,360), Irvine ($58,880). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Veterinary Assistant salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $26,560. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Veterinary Assistants (10th percentile) average $26,816 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $48,845. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Veterinary Assistants average $52,887 nationally — $26,071 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Veterinary Assistants can earn up to $96,333.
The top-paying states for Veterinary Assistants are California ($44,952 median), Massachusetts ($43,440 median), Hawaii ($43,200 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Veterinary Assistant involves High school diploma. The field is in the Agriculture sector (Agriculture), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically clinical.
With a national median of $37,244 and representation across 288 metro areas, Veterinary Assistant offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $26,071 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.