Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 29-2056 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$47,382
$22.78/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $47,382 per year ($22.78/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $38,917 and $57,658 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $63,190 per year. There are approximately 129,140 veterinary technologists and technicians employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+9.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
14K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
134K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
9% from new growth91% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
116K
$47,170
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
4K
$52,200
Other Personal Services
NAICS 812900
2K
$44,730
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
2K
$45,970
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
1K
$60,690
Wage range across top 5 industries: $44,730 to $60,690 (36% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.17
$35,714
P25
$18.71
$38,917
P50MEDIAN
$22.78
$47,382
P75
$27.72
$57,658
P90
$30.38
$63,190
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average veterinary technologists and technicians salary?
The national median salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $47,382 per year ($22.78/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $38,917 and $57,658 annually.
How much do top-earning veterinary technologists and technicians make?
The 90th percentile salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is $63,190 per year ($30.38/hr). The 75th percentile is $57,658 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for veterinary technologists and technicians?
Entry-level Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,714 per year ($17.17/hr). The 25th percentile is $38,917 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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