Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA is $34,720/year ($16.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.13), which stretches that salary to about $38,099 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,261/month, about 53.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Staunton-Stuarts Draft’s Regional Price Parity (91.13). 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers pay in Staunton-Stuarts Draft tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,261/month, which is 53.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.13 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $36K | $37K |
| Richmond | $37K | $38K |
| Charlottesville | $37K | $38K |
| Roanoke | $35K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
Entry-level veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $43K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 53.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,261/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,641/month. At HUD’s $1,261/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Staunton-Stuarts Draft compare to the national average for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers?
Staunton-Stuarts Draft pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA?
The median is $34,720 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,350, and experienced veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers can clear $43,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,371/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,261/month, which eats 53.2% 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 Staunton-Stuarts Draft?
Staunton-Stuarts Draft has a Regional Price Parity of 91.13 (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 $38,099 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.