Vet tech salary by state
Vet techs in the U.S. earned a median of $47,380 a year in May 2025, about $22.78 an hour (BLS). Eight in ten earned between $35,710 and $63,180. Pay depends heavily on the state: the highest medians were District of Columbia ($61,270), California ($60,630), Washington ($59,740).
Vet tech pay in every state
Sorted by median pay. Open a state for its percentiles, rank, the other veterinary roles there and what clinics are posting now.
| State | Median a year | Median an hour | 10th to 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $61,270 | $29.46 | $50,390 to $81,990 | 120 |
| California | $60,630 | $29.15 | $48,240 to $75,860 | 11,310 |
| Washington | $59,740 | $28.72 | $46,390 to $77,300 | 2,290 |
| New York | $59,010 | $28.37 | $47,640 to $78,760 | 5,350 |
| Minnesota | $57,270 | $27.53 | $42,640 to $65,120 | 3,560 |
| Oregon | $55,810 | $26.83 | $39,920 to $77,710 | 1,120 |
| Virginia | $52,090 | $25.04 | $35,590 to $75,770 | 2,790 |
| Connecticut | $50,950 | $24.50 | $41,480 to $75,090 | 1,690 |
| Maine | $50,810 | $24.43 | $47,340 to $57,690 | 910 |
| Nevada | $50,250 | $24.16 | $34,700 to $65,420 | 1,120 |
| Michigan | $49,710 | $23.90 | $37,410 to $63,020 | 2,550 |
| Colorado | $49,650 | $23.87 | $37,820 to $60,380 | 3,720 |
| Massachusetts | $49,540 | $23.82 | $37,500 to $64,470 | 3,990 |
| Vermont | $49,490 | $23.79 | $48,050 to $58,430 | 390 |
| New Jersey | $49,050 | $23.58 | $37,870 to $75,310 | 2,910 |
| North Dakota | $48,790 | $23.46 | $35,960 to $56,980 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $48,780 | $23.45 | $37,450 to $60,840 | 870 |
| Indiana | $48,720 | $23.42 | $37,820 to $59,490 | 1,820 |
| Hawaii | $48,550 | $23.34 | $35,990 to $62,660 | 270 |
| Delaware | $48,370 | $23.25 | $37,250 to $61,890 | 530 |
| Ohio | $47,990 | $23.07 | $34,760 to $61,360 | 4,790 |
| North Carolina | $47,620 | $22.89 | $35,890 to $59,420 | 2,580 |
| Maryland | $47,350 | $22.76 | $38,750 to $74,460 | 2,540 |
| Wisconsin | $47,020 | $22.61 | $37,900 to $59,110 | 2,590 |
| Alaska | $46,480 | $22.35 | $37,010 to $75,820 | 380 |
| Illinois | $46,440 | $22.33 | $38,580 to $60,520 | 5,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,430 | $22.32 | $36,480 to $60,280 | 6,620 |
| Florida | $46,380 | $22.30 | $36,600 to $57,870 | 11,380 |
| Arizona | $46,300 | $22.26 | $37,870 to $58,350 | 3,970 |
| Kansas | $45,810 | $22.02 | $36,780 to $58,250 | 1,270 |
| Iowa | $45,560 | $21.90 | $36,290 to $63,860 | 1,220 |
| Rhode Island | $45,310 | $21.78 | $37,570 to $63,590 | 530 |
| South Dakota | $45,300 | $21.78 | $35,780 to $50,440 | 300 |
| New Mexico | $44,790 | $21.53 | $31,350 to $56,870 | 890 |
| Nebraska | $43,680 | $21.00 | $37,770 to $57,310 | 690 |
| Missouri | $43,520 | $20.92 | $31,940 to $49,260 | 2,040 |
| Georgia | $43,060 | $20.70 | $35,060 to $58,590 | 2,410 |
| Tennessee | $42,810 | $20.58 | $31,660 to $57,040 | 1,640 |
| Idaho | $42,120 | $20.25 | $31,900 to $48,660 | 790 |
| Montana | $41,170 | $19.79 | $35,420 to $57,660 | 480 |
| Utah | $40,560 | $19.50 | $29,640 to $55,330 | 1,550 |
| Kentucky | $39,590 | $19.03 | $28,490 to $50,530 | 1,670 |
| Texas | $39,410 | $18.95 | $30,320 to $54,610 | 16,730 |
| Oklahoma | $39,100 | $18.80 | $31,390 to $53,880 | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $39,020 | $18.76 | $33,870 to $57,970 | 2,540 |
| Wyoming | $38,650 | $18.58 | $28,630 to $49,260 | 310 |
| Arkansas | $38,360 | $18.44 | $27,250 to $47,820 | 320 |
| West Virginia | $37,700 | $18.12 | $29,430 to $48,170 | 400 |
| Alabama | $36,590 | $17.59 | $28,590 to $49,060 | 1,880 |
| Mississippi | $36,380 | $17.49 | $29,120 to $46,710 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $35,530 | $17.08 | $28,490 to $47,690 | 2,220 |
What clinics are posting now
Posted pay: 78 of these 150 listings, from 3 employers, state an hourly range. Ranges run from $7.25 to $41.00 an hour; the middle listing's midpoint is $31.50 an hour. These are employers' posted ranges, not survey data.
See all 150 open vet tech jobs.
What the numbers mean
BLS reports veterinary technologists (usually a four-year degree) and technicians (usually a two-year degree) as one group. Figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the latest release, for wage and salary workers (the self-employed are not included). The median is the middle wage: half earned more, half earned less. Hourly figures are the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours, the way BLS converts between the two. Retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on November 5, 2026.
Other roles: vet assistant salary ยท veterinarian salary. Career guides: how to become a vet tech, vet tech vs vet assistant.
FAQ
How much does a vet tech make?
The U.S. median was $47,380 a year in May 2025, about $22.78 an hour (BLS).
How much does a vet tech make an hour?
About $22.78 an hour at the U.S. median; the 10th percentile was about $17.17 and the 90th about $30.38.
Which state pays vet techs the most?
By BLS median pay for May 2025: District of Columbia ($61,270), California ($60,630), Washington ($59,740).
Which state pays vet techs the least?
The lowest medians were Alabama ($36,590), Mississippi ($36,380), Louisiana ($35,530).
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025, veterinary technologists and technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS state estimates (Public Data API)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
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