Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL is $38,340/year ($18.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $33,584 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 88.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $38K actually covers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers pay in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 89% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $38K | $38K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $37K | $37K |
| Jacksonville | $38K | $38K |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $38K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
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 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 89% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
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 $2,273/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 107% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $38,340 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,410, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $47,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,737/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 89% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary is worth about $33,584 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.