When most people consider the best and worst states to work in, they’re thinking about two things: job prospects and earnings. In general, people earn more in big cities than in rural areas, and if you’re in a career that is not in demand where you are, you’re going to have to move to where the jobs are. If you want to be a ski instructor, for instance, the job prospects in Texas are nil.
Because there are millions of pet owners in the U.S., working for a veterinarian as a veterinary assistant in a vet, emergency vet, or animal hospital, will always be in demand no matter where you live.
What States Have the Most Vet Assistant Jobs?
According to Forbes there are 86.9 million households with pets in the U.S. — that’s 66%! That’s great news for vet assistants; you are always going to be in demand no matter where you live.
Some states have a higher concentration of vet assistant jobs, of course. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks these states as the top 10 when it comes to those criteria:
- Maine
- Oregon
- Washington
- Montana
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Virginia
The location quotient for those states is 1.25 to 2.5. This simply suggests that a state has a higher percentage of employment in the industry compared to others.
Which States Have the Highest Vet Assistant Salaries?
The question of salary gets a little trickier to pinpoint because it depends on whose list you’re looking at and how up-to-date their data is.
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks everything down into nifty categories like states and metropolitan areas with the highest employment level, location quotient, and mean wages, their latest data on veterinary assistant salaries is from May 2022 – not exactly hot off the presses.
It’s not just a matter of pinpointing a salary figure, everyone’s list of highest-paying states for vet assistant salaries is almost completely different.
For instance, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers this list of highest-paying states:
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- New York
- California
- Connecticut
Zip Recruiter’s top 5?
- Alaska
- Oregon
- North Dakota
- Massachusetts
- Washington
They list the lowest-paying states as:
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- West Virginia
- Florida
Zippia’s top 5 include:
- Alaska
- California
- Oregon
- Utah
- North Dakota
The lowest-paying states, they say, are:
- Kansas
- Ohio
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- South Carolina
Overall, the lists agree on only a handful of states. You need to also consider the cost of living in these areas, as some states may pay more, but the cost of living is very high, such as in the Northeast. Some states may pay less, but the cost of living is less, such as in the Southeast.
What Is the Average Vet Assistant Salary?
It’s not much easier to get a ballpark figure on actual salaries than it is to get an agreement on which states are the worst and best paying for vet assistants.
The May 2022 median salary for vet assistants, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $34,740. The total estimated salary range listed was from $25,270 (10th percentile) to $44,920 (90th percentile).
Zip Recruiter found the highest average salary in Alaska, $39,146. Florida’s average was lowest at $24,453.
Agreeing closely, Zippia’s 2023 Alaska average salary came in at $38,195. The lowest, they said, was South Carolina’s average of $22,643.
How Do Vet Assistant Salaries Compare to Other Careers?
In addition to comparing salaries by state, it might be helpful to compare average vet assistant salaries to those of other careers that do not require a college degree.
The May 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report stated the national median salary for a bank teller was $36,380; the median income for receptionists was $33,960; and the median salary for preschool teachers was $35,330. So, salaries for vet assistants are in this general range.
What’s the Takeaway?
Nobody’s going to be living in the lap of luxury on a vet assistant salary, but regardless of what state you live in, you should be able to make an adequate wage. In the end, it’s often best to follow your passion. If you want a rewarding career working with animals, becoming a veterinary assistant is a solid choice. As the old saying goes, if you love what you’re doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.
For more information on a veterinary assistant career, visit our Vet Assistant Job Information at a Vet Near Me page HERE, and enroll at Animal Behavior College today!
