Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Florida is $37,830/year ($18.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $38,375 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 60.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Florida?
About veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Florida
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 61.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary by metro in Florida
19 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $45K | +20% | 100 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $43K | +13% | 200 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $38K | +1% | 1,440 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $38K | +1% | 210 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $38K | +0% | 1,110 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $38K | +0% | 220 |
| Jacksonville | $38K | -0% | 620 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $37K | -1% | 170 |
| Punta Gorda | $37K | -1% | 60 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $37K | -2% | 70 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $37K | -2% | 720 |
| Port St. Lucie | $37K | -2% | 140 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $37K | -3% | 210 |
| Gainesville | $37K | -3% | 130 |
| Ocala | $36K | -4% | 130 |
| Tallahassee | $36K | -5% | 190 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $36K | -5% | 160 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $36K | -5% | 80 |
| Homosassa Springs | $36K | -5% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 61.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Florida?
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 $1,865/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Florida pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Florida?
The median is $37,830 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,090, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $47,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,703/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 61.3% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $38,375 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.