Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Minnesota is $45,280/year ($21.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $48,898 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,384/month, about 44.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Minnesota?
About veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Minnesota sits well above the national pay line for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, local pay runs about 19% 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 $1,384/month, which is 45.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary by metro in Minnesota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $46K | +1% | 1,150 |
| Duluth | $38K | -17% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 45.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/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 Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,185/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Minnesota?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $45K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Minnesota pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Minnesota?
The median is $45,280 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,410, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $49,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 45.2% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $48,898 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.