Vet Tech Salary by State



Average Vet Tech Salary

Veterinary technicians are usually paid hourly wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average vet tech salary in 2011 was $29,549 per year. The lowest 25% of these individuals made less than $24,800 per year, while the top 25%  earned more that $35,628.



Vet Tech Salary by State

State Annual Average Hourly Average
Alabama $25,120 $12.08
Alaska $38,010 $18.27
Arizona $29,500 $14.18
Arkansas $27,850 $13.39
California $34,430 $16.55
Colorado $29,940 $14.40
Connecticut $35,290 $16.97
Delaware $32,540 $15.64
District of Columbia $34,700 $16.68
Florida $28,320 $13.61
Georgia $25,770 $12.39
Hawaii $25,890 $12.45
Idaho $26,150 $12.57
Illinois $28,420 $13.66
Indiana $28,100 $13.51
Iowa $28,230 $13.57
Kansas $28,730 $13.81
Kentucky $26,500 $12.74
Louisiana $25,540 $12.28
Maine $30,030 $14.44
Maryland $30,800 $14.81
Massachusetts $35,050 $16.85
Michigan $33,180 $15.95
Minnesota $32,130 $15.45
Mississippi $25,580 $12.30
Missouri $29,720 $14.29
Montana $27,530 $13.23
Nebraska $27,050 $13.00
Nevada $33,480 $16.10
New Hampshire $31,390 $15.09
New Jersey $32,000 $15.38
New Mexico $29,900 $14.37
New York $35,560 $17.10
North Carolina $26,970 $12.97
North Dakota $29,290 $14.08
Ohio $29,060 $13.97
Oklahoma $24,510 $11.79
Oregon $32,060 $15.41
Pennsylvania $31,910 $15.34
Puerto Rico $19,640 $9.44
Rhode Island $27,840 $13.39
South Carolina $26,650 $12.81
South Dakota $26,870 $12.92
Tennessee $26,570 $12.77
Texas $27,150 $13.05
Utah $27,320 $13.13
Vermont $30,310 $14.57
Virginia $35,470 $17.05
Washington $32,670 $15.71
West Virginia $24,820 $11.93
Wisconsin $32,940 $15.84
Wyoming $27,280 $13.11

The average veterinary technician salary increases with experience!

average veterinary technician salary



6 Ways to Increase Your Salary as a Veterinary Technician!

How can you make the most money as a vet tech? Here are the things you can do increase your earning potential:

  1. Gain more experience. The more years you have in the field, the higher they pay you generally receive.
  2. Worker in a larger city. Vet techs in bigger metropolitan areas often are paid more than small-town techs to compensate for cost-of-living.
  3. Specialize. There are 11 official specialties recognized by the AVMA. Becoming specialized in one of these areas will raise your income potential, but it takes time and experience to get them. The vet technician specialties are:
    • Emergency and Critical Care
    • Nutrition
    • Dentistry
    • Clinical Practice
    • Surgical
    • Anesthesia
    • Internal Medicine
    • Zoo Care
    • Behavior
    • Equine
    • Clinical Pathology
  4. Work in a hospital. Vet techs that work in hospitals make slightly more than those in private practices.
  5. Work in a research lab. Techs that work in research labs are usually paid more than any those in any other setting.
  6. Get involved! Part of the reason salary is low is because vet techs are limited in the type of things they can do. As vet techs organize, unite, and advocate on behalf of their profession, they may be able to lobby state and national legislators to allow them to take on more responsibilities, like make some diagnoses or write prescriptions. These new responsibilities will increase the value of your skills, and an increase in salary will follow!

Don’t let salary be the only thing that keeps you away from becoming a vet tech. I have spoken to MANY techs who say they love their jobs and the level of satisfaction they get out of them, regardless of pay!



As one tech told me, “if you find something you like to do, you’ll never work a day in your life!”

4 thoughts on “Vet Tech Salary by State

  1. Liz

    Hello. Do you know if you have to go to a specific animal study to be a VT? I want to be a VT on the farm or wildlife field. Do I need to go to a specific study or can I take a VT college class as a whole? Im so confused on all of this.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Doug

    PS If you want to focus on wildlife, volunteering at a local animal shelter or wildlife rescue agency might be a good place to start.

    Reply
  3. Dawn

    I have eight years of Healthcare in my background, none of which relates to vet assistance or vet tech. I am interested in becoming either one of these however, I do have a question.. how do I find out how to get into working in a research lab that I could add to this new career?
    Thanks

    Reply
  4. bestcert

    Genuinely no matter if someone doesn’t be aware of then its up to other users that they will help, so here
    it takes place.

    Reply

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