Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers · SOC 31-9096
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary in the Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in the Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $36,420 per year ($17.51 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $29,560 at the 10th percentile to $49,840 at the 90th. BLS estimates 110 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in the Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area earn more than $36,420 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $31,330 and $45,170.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $29,560 | $31,330 | $36,420 | $45,170 | $49,840 |
| Hourly | $14.21 | $15.06 | $17.51 | $21.72 | $23.96 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area$36,420 median for Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $31,330 to $45,170
- Virginiastate$37,450 median for Virginia; middle half earns $35,660 to $45,270
- United Statesnational$38,150 median for United States; middle half earns $35,660 to $45,710
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −3% vs Virginia overall and −5% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Virginia
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan areathis page$36,420 median for Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $31,330 to $45,170
- $37,480 median for Charlottesville metro area; middle half earns $32,510 to $41,310
- $37,470 median for Richmond metro area; middle half earns $36,310 to $45,430
- $36,320 median for Virginia Beach metro area; middle half earns $34,480 to $37,470
- $36,230 median for Blacksburg metro area; middle half earns $34,110 to $43,250
- $35,750 median for Winchester metro area; middle half earns $30,060 to $36,840
- $35,440 median for Harrisonburg metro area; middle half earns $31,220 to $38,510
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakerss · Highest-paying occupations in Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.