Vet tech salary, all 50 states ranked.
BLS May 2025 OEWS state means for veterinary technologists and technicians (SOC 29-2056). California leads the large-state means at $61,400; Louisiana trails at $35,980. The COL index column normalises to BEA Regional Price Parities so a $50K paycheck in Texas can be compared with $60K in California honestly.
| # | State | Annual Salary↓ | Hourly | Employed | COL Index | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $63,720 | $30.63 | 380 | 105.4 | $60,455 |
| 2 | California | $61,400 | $29.52 | 11,310 | 113.4 | $54,145 |
| 3 | New York | $61,080 | $29.36 | 5,350 | 115.7 | $52,792 |
| 4 | Washington | $59,940 | $28.82 | 2,290 | 106.8 | $56,124 |
| 5 | Oregon | $56,570 | $27.20 | 1,120 | 101.8 | $55,570 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $55,470 | $26.67 | 3,560 | 98.1 | $56,544 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $55,300 | $26.59 | 1,690 | 107.5 | $51,442 |
| 8 | Virginia | $54,480 | $26.19 | 2,790 | 103.6 | $52,587 |
| 9 | Nevada | $53,450 | $25.70 | 1,120 | 100.3 | $53,290 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $53,170 | $25.56 | 3,990 | 108.6 | $48,959 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $52,780 | $25.38 | 2,910 | 112.8 | $46,791 |
| 12 | Maryland | $52,730 | $25.35 | 2,540 | 108.1 | $48,779 |
| 13 | Colorado | $52,010 | $25.00 | 3,720 | 105.1 | $49,486 |
| 14 | Maine | $51,720 | $24.87 | 910 | 99.4 | $52,032 |
| 15 | Michigan | $51,360 | $24.69 | 2,550 | 93.1 | $55,166 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $50,840 | $24.44 | 870 | 104.2 | $48,791 |
| 17 | Vermont | $50,670 | $24.36 | 390 | 101.9 | $49,725 |
| 18 | Illinois | $49,980 | $24.03 | 5,040 | 98.2 | $50,896 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $49,590 | $23.84 | 530 | 101.1 | $49,050 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $49,460 | $23.78 | 270 | 119.3 | $41,459 |
| 21 | Delaware | $48,740 | $23.43 | 530 | 102.2 | $47,691 |
| 22 | Indiana | $48,480 | $23.31 | 1,820 | 91.3 | $53,100 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $48,210 | $23.18 | 2,590 | 93.4 | $51,617 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $48,120 | $23.14 | 2,580 | 94.0 | $51,191 |
| 25 | Ohio | $47,900 | $23.03 | 4,790 | 91.5 | $52,350 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $47,680 | $22.92 | 340 | 92.4 | $51,602 |
| 27 | Arizona | $47,470 | $22.82 | 3,970 | 100.5 | $47,234 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $47,270 | $22.72 | 6,620 | 97.3 | $48,582 |
| 29 | Iowa | $47,010 | $22.60 | 1,220 | 90.4 | $52,002 |
| 30 | Kansas | $46,440 | $22.33 | 1,270 | 90.8 | $51,145 |
| 31 | Florida | $46,300 | $22.26 | 11,380 | 100.9 | $45,887 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $44,490 | $21.39 | 690 | 91.3 | $48,729 |
| 33 | Montana | $44,140 | $21.22 | 480 | 96.2 | $45,884 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $43,960 | $21.14 | 1,640 | 91.4 | $48,096 |
| 35 | Georgia | $43,720 | $21.02 | 2,410 | 93.2 | $46,910 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $43,660 | $20.99 | 300 | 90.2 | $48,404 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $43,330 | $20.83 | 2,540 | 91.9 | $47,149 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $43,190 | $20.77 | 890 | 94.6 | $45,655 |
| 39 | Missouri | $42,600 | $20.48 | 2,040 | 90.0 | $47,333 |
| 40 | Idaho | $42,300 | $20.34 | 790 | 95.8 | $44,154 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,140 | $20.26 | 1,550 | 100.3 | $42,014 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,030 | $20.21 | 16,730 | 96.4 | $43,600 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $42,000 | $20.19 | 1,060 | 89.1 | $47,138 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $40,880 | $19.65 | 1,670 | 89.2 | $45,830 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $39,230 | $18.86 | 400 | 86.4 | $45,405 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $39,170 | $18.83 | 310 | 94.1 | $41,626 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $38,490 | $18.50 | 320 | 86.9 | $44,292 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $37,230 | $17.90 | 650 | 85.7 | $43,442 |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,600 | $17.60 | 1,880 | 87.1 | $42,021 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $35,980 | $17.30 | 2,220 | 90.5 | $39,757 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2023. COL-adjusted = annual ÷ COL × 100.
States with the highest BLS means
- 1AlaskaWest$63,720
- 2CaliforniaWest$61,400
- 3New YorkNortheast$61,080
- 4WashingtonWest$59,940
- 5OregonWest$56,570
Best real purchasing power
- 1AlaskaCOL 105.4$60,455
- 2MinnesotaCOL 98.1$56,544
- 3WashingtonCOL 106.8$56,124
- 4OregonCOL 101.8$55,570
- 5MichiganCOL 93.1$55,166
Adjusted = raw salary ÷ BEA RPP × 100. See full COL ranking.
Average state mean by region
Northeast
$52,172
West
$51,300
Midwest
$47,773
Southwest
$43,673
Southeast
$42,360
State-specific pay deep dives
Bespoke pages for the 10 largest vet tech employment states, covering credential type (CVT/LVT/RVT), metro pay distribution, academic medical centers, research employment, and cost-of-living adjusted pay.
Use the homepage salary estimator to combine state with specialty, credential, experience, and setting.