Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median salary for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is $38,002 per year ($18.27/hr). This is 0.4% lower than the national median of $38,147.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.
Wage Percentiles: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · BLS metro data
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$15.45
$32,136
+6.7%
P25
$17.49
$36,379
+2.0%
P50MEDIAN
$18.27
$38,002
-0.4%
P75
$21.71
$45,157
-1.2%
P90Top earners
$22.67
$47,154
-4.1%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Free. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.7%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
22K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
118K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
113K
$37,940
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
5K
$47,860
Wage range across top 5 industries: $37,940 to $47,860 (26% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
No credit card required · 770+ occupations · 393 metros
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The median (P50) annual salary for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater is approximately $38,002, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 0.4% lower than the national median of $38,147. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.