Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL is $42,590/year ($20.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $43,894 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,785/month, about 58.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin sits well above the national pay line for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,785/month, which is 59.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in metros near Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $38K | $34K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $38K | $38K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $37K | $37K |
| Jacksonville | $38K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $29K 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 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 1,740 |
| Texas | $35K | -9% | 8,440 |
| 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 states
Track veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 59.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,785/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,837/month. At HUD’s $1,785/month FMR, rent would take 97% 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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $43K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
The median is $42,590 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,610, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $59,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,022/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,785/month, which eats 59.1% 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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $43,894 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.