Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA is $37,190/year ($17.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $37,699 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 57.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,493/month, which is 58.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in metros near Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $40K | $39K |
| Pittsburgh | $37K | $39K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $38K | $38K |
| Reading | $37K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $16K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 58.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,762/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $37,190 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,360, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $45,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,565/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 58.2% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 $37,699 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.