Highest Paying Cities for Vet Techs: Top 25 Metro Area Salaries
BLS publishes metro-level salary data that shows San Jose at $65,120 and San Francisco at $63,470. But high salaries often come with high living costs. The table below includes COL-adjusted figures for a more complete picture.
Top 5 Highest Paying Metros
Best Value Metros (COL-Adjusted)
| # | Metro Area | Annual↓ | Hourly | Employed | COL | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $65,120 | $31.31 | 580 | 128.5 | $50,677 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $63,470 | $30.51 | 1,820 | 125.2 | $50,695 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,840 | $28.77 | 2,100 | 112.6 | $53,144 |
| 4 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $58,960 | $28.35 | 340 | 119.8 | $49,215 |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $58,620 | $28.18 | 6,240 | 122.3 | $47,931 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $56,280 | $27.06 | 2,380 | 114.7 | $49,067 |
| 7 | Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA | $55,640 | $26.75 | 890 | 106.4 | $52,293 |
| 8 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $54,920 | $26.40 | 4,860 | 113.8 | $48,260 |
| 9 | San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $54,380 | $26.14 | 1,240 | 113.2 | $48,039 |
| 10 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $53,240 | $25.60 | 1,340 | 105.3 | $50,560 |
| 11 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $52,860 | $25.41 | 2,680 | 115.4 | $45,806 |
| 12 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $51,380 | $24.70 | 1,980 | 108.2 | $47,486 |
| 13 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $50,640 | $24.35 | 520 | 103.8 | $48,786 |
| 14 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $49,860 | $23.97 | 1,640 | 101.4 | $49,172 |
| 15 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,320 | $23.71 | 2,140 | 106.9 | $46,137 |
| 16 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $48,640 | $23.38 | 3,280 | 102.8 | $47,315 |
| 17 | Austin-Round Rock, TX | $48,240 | $23.19 | 780 | 101.6 | $47,480 |
| 18 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $47,680 | $22.92 | 620 | 97.4 | $48,953 |
| 19 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $46,840 | $22.52 | 1,860 | 100.1 | $46,793 |
| 20 | Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN | $46,120 | $22.17 | 840 | 96.8 | $47,645 |
| 21 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,680 | $21.96 | 2,280 | 97.2 | $46,996 |
| 22 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $44,360 | $21.33 | 1,560 | 97.8 | $45,358 |
| 23 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $44,120 | $21.21 | 2,640 | 99.4 | $44,386 |
| 24 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $43,560 | $20.94 | 2,180 | 97.1 | $44,861 |
| 25 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $43,280 | $20.81 | 1,640 | 94.6 | $45,751 |
Source: BLS May 2024 OEWS, SOC 29-2056. COL Index: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA.
Metro Area Spotlights
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Annual
$65,120
Hourly
$31.31
Employed
580
COL-Adjusted
$50,677
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Annual
$63,470
Hourly
$30.51
Employed
1,820
COL-Adjusted
$50,695
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Annual
$59,840
Hourly
$28.77
Employed
2,100
COL-Adjusted
$53,144
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Annual
$58,960
Hourly
$28.35
Employed
340
COL-Adjusted
$49,215
New York-Newark-Jersey City
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Annual
$58,620
Hourly
$28.18
Employed
6,240
COL-Adjusted
$47,931
Urban vs Rural Salary Gap
The top 25 metro areas average approximately $51,200 for vet techs, compared to the national average of $46,280. Metro vet techs earn roughly 10-11% more than the national average.
However, rural and non-metro areas often offer lower cost of living, shorter commutes, less competition for positions, and greater professional autonomy. In underserved rural areas, vet techs may also have expanded scope of practice under state law.