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Salary comparison

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides: Who Earns More?

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss out-earn Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss land at $38,150 and Home Health and Personal Care Aidess at $35,800. The education gap is real: veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while home health and personal care aide programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss is Rhode Island ($49,770); for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess it's Washington ($47,730).

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median salary
$38,150
$35,800
Hourly rate
$18.34/hr
$17.21/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$30,120
$27,040
Senior level (90th %)
$49,150
$45,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
126,580
4,305,810
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
17%
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
Rhode Island
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers median pay.

State
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Rhode Island
$49,770
$43,680
District of Columbia
$49,080
$42,700
Massachusetts
$46,670
$40,910
Maine
$45,510
$38,580
Minnesota
$45,280
$38,370
New York
$44,750
$39,620
Oregon
$44,370
$44,410
Connecticut
$44,250
$38,990
Washington
$44,150
$47,730
Hawaii
$44,070
$38,110
Colorado
$38,900
$38,540
Vermont
$37,290
$41,600
North Dakota
$37,160
$39,440
New Hampshire
$36,910
$38,760
Alaska
$36,490
$39,740

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss or Home Health and Personal Care Aidess?

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss earn more nationally. The median is $38,150 for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss versus $35,800 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers typically requires postsecondary nondegree award. Home Health and Personal Care Aides requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss get paid the most?

Rhode Island is the top-paying state for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss at $49,770/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Rhode Island, Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss earn $49,770 vs. $43,680 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary breakdownView →Full Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary breakdownView →Best cities for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by take-home payExplore →How to become a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakersGuide →How to become a home health and personal care aidesGuide →