What is the average salary of a veterinary assistant?

The annual median pay of veterinary assistants in 2012 was $23,130 per year or $11.20 per hour, according the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In the same year, the number of veterinary assistants in the United States was estimated to be around 74,600.

Veterinary assistants, just like laboratory animal caretakers, are tasked with the care, maintenance and handling of animals in clinics, animal hospital and laboratories. They are supervised by veterinarians, veterinary technologists and technicians and laboratory researchers.

The job position of a veterinary assistant requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Their task often requires manual labor, which, at times, may be physically demanding. Veterinary assistant jobs are projected to grow by 10 percent between 2012 and 2022 according the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.