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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

29-2056 Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
106,680 1.8 % $17.10 $35,560 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.29 $13.56 $16.55 $19.57 $24.04
Annual Wage (2) $23,490 $28,210 $34,420 $40,710 $50,010


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 97,390 13.38 $16.87 $35,080
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,480 0.11 $20.42 $42,460
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,740 0.81 $17.04 $35,440
Scientific Research and Development Services 950 0.14 $20.09 $41,790
Other Personal Services 840 0.25 $15.20 $31,610

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 97,390 13.38 $16.87 $35,080
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,740 0.81 $17.04 $35,440
Other Personal Services 840 0.25 $15.20 $31,610
Scientific Research and Development Services 950 0.14 $20.09 $41,790
Support Activities for Animal Production 40 0.12 $16.40 $34,120

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 480 0.02 $25.86 $53,780
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 150 0.09 $22.16 $46,100
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 220 (7) $21.38 $44,460
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 3,480 0.11 $20.42 $42,460
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 600 0.01 $20.37 $42,370


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 11,920 0.98 1.33 $14.91 $31,010
California 9,270 0.55 0.74 $20.16 $41,920
Florida 8,350 0.97 1.32 $16.00 $33,280
Pennsylvania 5,240 0.90 1.22 $17.72 $36,860
New York 4,810 0.51 0.69 $20.76 $43,190




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vermont 460 1.52 2.06 $16.68 $34,680
Colorado 4,000 1.52 2.07 $17.49 $36,390
New Hampshire 880 1.34 1.82 $16.78 $34,900
Maryland 3,070 1.14 1.55 $17.40 $36,190
Maine 660 1.10 1.49 $17.67 $36,760




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 610 0.45 0.62 $22.29 $46,370
Connecticut 1,490 0.90 1.22 $20.84 $43,340
New York 4,810 0.51 0.69 $20.76 $43,190
California 9,270 0.55 0.74 $20.16 $41,920
Massachusetts 3,270 0.91 1.24 $19.71 $40,990





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,720 0.50 0.67 $20.44 $42,520
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,180 0.89 1.21 $16.43 $34,180
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,720 0.59 0.79 $18.13 $37,710
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,690 0.44 0.60 $21.69 $45,110
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,650 0.89 1.21 $13.56 $28,200
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,560 0.90 1.22 $18.94 $39,390
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,070 0.75 1.02 $20.03 $41,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,070 0.66 0.89 $18.88 $39,270
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,940 0.99 1.35 $18.94 $39,400
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,930 0.72 0.97 $15.35 $31,930




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Corvallis, OR 130 3.64 4.93 $20.31 $42,250
College Station-Bryan, TX 410 3.58 4.86 $16.77 $34,880
Ithaca, NY 170 3.48 4.72 $22.16 $46,090
Fort Collins, CO 540 3.37 4.58 $17.39 $36,170
Auburn-Opelika, AL 190 3.31 4.50 $16.57 $34,470
Gainesville, FL 390 2.93 3.98 $14.37 $29,890
Homosassa Springs, FL 90 2.78 3.77 $14.85 $30,880
Champaign-Urbana, IL 270 2.66 3.61 $17.88 $37,200
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 130 2.42 3.28 $16.79 $34,910
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 200 2.24 3.04 $17.83 $37,080




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 210 0.65 0.88 $25.81 $53,690
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 510 0.88 1.19 $23.93 $49,770
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 130 1.32 1.79 $23.77 $49,450
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 430 0.43 0.59 $22.82 $47,460
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 470 0.42 0.57 $22.20 $46,170
Ithaca, NY 170 3.48 4.72 $22.16 $46,090
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,130 0.47 0.63 $21.88 $45,500
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 150 0.72 0.98 $21.71 $45,160
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,690 0.44 0.60 $21.69 $45,110
Kingston, NY 100 1.67 2.27 $21.68 $45,100

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 280 0.84 1.14 $17.34 $36,070
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 280 1.44 1.95 $14.89 $30,980
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 260 1.23 1.67 $13.61 $28,310
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 240 1.25 1.69 $16.71 $34,760
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 230 1.56 2.12 $19.66 $40,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 70 2.01 2.72 $18.25 $37,970
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 130 1.84 2.50 $14.88 $30,940
South Florida nonmetropolitan area 130 1.71 2.32 $15.33 $31,880
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 200 1.69 2.29 $18.97 $39,460
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area 80 1.68 2.28 $14.35 $29,840

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 0.56 $27.29 $56,770
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $22.69 $47,200
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 150 1.25 1.69 $22.10 $45,970
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 150 0.85 1.16 $21.97 $45,700
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $21.46 $44,640


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019