Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 31-9096.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$38,150
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
126,580
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, Veterinary/Lab Animal Tech (Alternate Title: Animal Care Specialist) (competency-based)
- State medians
- $49,770 in Rhode Island to $23,310 in Puerto Rico (52 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinary/Lab Animal Tech (Alternate Title: Animal Care Specialist) | 1112 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Hybrid: 2,000 to 2,500 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
What veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $49,770 | $23.93 | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $49,080 | $23.60 | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $46,670 | $22.44 | 2,130 |
| California | $46,260 | $22.24 | 16,080 |
| New Jersey | $46,160 | $22.19 | 3,270 |
| Maine | $45,510 | $21.88 | 690 |
| Minnesota | $45,280 | $21.77 | 1,450 |
| Maryland | $44,770 | $21.52 | 2,220 |
| New York | $44,750 | $21.52 | 5,790 |
| Oregon | $44,370 | $21.33 | 3,170 |
| Connecticut | $44,250 | $21.28 | 1,390 |
| Washington | $44,150 | $21.23 | 4,380 |
| Hawaii | $44,070 | $21.19 | 570 |
| Colorado | $38,900 | $18.70 | 2,910 |
| Delaware | $38,610 | $18.56 | Not published |
| Montana | $38,340 | $18.43 | 550 |
| Arizona | $38,250 | $18.39 | 3,340 |
| Michigan | $37,960 | $18.25 | 4,420 |
| Wyoming | $37,880 | $18.21 | 150 |
| Florida | $37,830 | $18.19 | 6,790 |
| Utah | $37,560 | $18.06 | 580 |
| Idaho | $37,530 | $18.04 | 680 |
| New Mexico | $37,500 | $18.03 | 520 |
| Illinois | $37,480 | $18.02 | 3,270 |
| Virginia | $37,450 | $18.01 | 4,810 |
| Vermont | $37,290 | $17.93 | 370 |
| North Dakota | $37,160 | $17.87 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,140 | $17.86 | 3,760 |
| North Carolina | $37,070 | $17.82 | 6,910 |
| South Carolina | $36,980 | $17.78 | 1,720 |
| Nevada | $36,920 | $17.75 | 1,380 |
| New Hampshire | $36,910 | $17.74 | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $36,850 | $17.71 | 2,200 |
| Missouri | $36,660 | $17.62 | 2,010 |
| Alaska | $36,490 | $17.54 | 130 |
| Indiana | $36,420 | $17.51 | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $36,340 | $17.47 | 4,640 |
| Tennessee | $36,320 | $17.46 | 3,530 |
| Nebraska | $36,100 | $17.36 | 900 |
| Georgia | $35,850 | $17.24 | 4,570 |
| Alabama | $35,800 | $17.21 | 1,240 |
| Iowa | $35,720 | $17.18 | 1,380 |
| Kansas | $35,680 | $17.16 | 1,570 |
| Oklahoma | $34,850 | $16.76 | 1,740 |
| Texas | $34,850 | $16.75 | 8,440 |
| South Dakota | $34,700 | $16.68 | 250 |
| Arkansas | $34,570 | $16.62 | 1,460 |
| Kentucky | $34,140 | $16.41 | 1,840 |
| West Virginia | $32,350 | $15.55 | 730 |
| Louisiana | $30,480 | $14.65 | 1,230 |
| Mississippi | $30,360 | $14.60 | 560 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,310 | $11.21 | 430 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.