Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Charleston, WV is $32,070/year ($15.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $36,147 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,036/month, about 47.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Charleston runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,036/month, which is 46.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $33K | $37K |
| Morgantown | $35K | $38K |
| Wheeling | $34K | $38K |
| Beckley | $34K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $50K | +30% | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $49K | +29% | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +22% | 2,130 |
| California | $46K | +21% | 16,080 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +21% | 3,270 |
| Maine | $46K | +19% | 690 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +19% | 1,450 |
| Maryland | $45K | +17% | 2,220 |
| New York | $45K | +17% | 5,790 |
| Oregon | $44K | +16% | 3,170 |
| Connecticut | $44K | +16% | 1,390 |
| Washington | $44K | +16% | 4,380 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +16% | 570 |
| Colorado | $39K | +2% | 2,910 |
| Delaware | $39K | +1% | N/A |
| Montana | $38K | +0% | 550 |
| Arizona | $38K | +0% | 3,340 |
| Michigan | $38K | -0% | 4,420 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -1% | 150 |
| Florida | $38K | -1% | 6,790 |
| Utah | $38K | -2% | 580 |
| Idaho | $38K | -2% | 680 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -2% | 520 |
| Illinois | $37K | -2% | 3,270 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 4,810 |
| Vermont | $37K | -2% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $37K | -3% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 3,760 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -3% | 6,910 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -3% | 1,720 |
| Nevada | $37K | -3% | 1,380 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | -3% | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -3% | 2,200 |
| Missouri | $37K | -4% | 2,010 |
| Alaska | $36K | -4% | 130 |
| Indiana | $36K | -5% | 2,810 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 4,640 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -5% | 3,530 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -5% | 900 |
| Georgia | $36K | -6% | 4,570 |
| Alabama | $36K | -6% | 1,240 |
| Iowa | $36K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Kansas | $36K | -6% | 1,570 |
| Texas | $35K | -9% | 8,440 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 1,740 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -9% | 250 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -9% | 1,460 |
| Kentucky | $34K | -11% | 1,840 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -15% | 730 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -20% | 1,230 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -20% | 560 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 46.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,384/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Charleston pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $32,070 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,070, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $37,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,237/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 46.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary is worth about $36,147 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.