Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a veterinary technologists and technicians in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI is $52,420/year ($25.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $54,861 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,519/month, about 44.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). 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 technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood sits well above the national pay line for veterinary technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,519/month, which is 43.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinary technologists and technicians in metros near Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $53K | $53K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $53K | $56K |
| Ann Arbor | $50K | $49K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $51K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Entry-level veterinary technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinary Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $61K | +29% | 120 |
| California | $61K | +28% | 11,310 |
| Washington | $60K | +26% | 2,290 |
| New York | $59K | +25% | 5,350 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +21% | 3,560 |
| Oregon | $56K | +18% | 1,120 |
| Virginia | $52K | +10% | 2,790 |
| Connecticut | $51K | +8% | 1,690 |
| Maine | $51K | +7% | 910 |
| Nevada | $50K | +6% | 1,120 |
| Michigan | $50K | +5% | 2,550 |
| Colorado | $50K | +5% | 3,720 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +5% | 3,990 |
| Vermont | $49K | +4% | 390 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +4% | 2,910 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +3% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +3% | 870 |
| Indiana | $49K | +3% | 1,820 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +2% | 270 |
| Delaware | $48K | +2% | 530 |
| Ohio | $48K | +1% | 4,790 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +1% | 2,580 |
| Maryland | $47K | -0% | 2,540 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -1% | 2,590 |
| Alaska | $46K | -2% | 380 |
| Illinois | $46K | -2% | 5,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | -2% | 6,620 |
| Florida | $46K | -2% | 11,380 |
| Arizona | $46K | -2% | 3,970 |
| Kansas | $46K | -3% | 1,270 |
| Iowa | $46K | -4% | 1,220 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | -4% | 530 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -4% | 300 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -5% | 890 |
| Nebraska | $44K | -8% | 690 |
| Missouri | $44K | -8% | 2,040 |
| Georgia | $43K | -9% | 2,410 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -10% | 1,640 |
| Idaho | $42K | -11% | 790 |
| Montana | $41K | -13% | 480 |
| Utah | $41K | -14% | 1,550 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -16% | 1,670 |
| Texas | $39K | -17% | 16,730 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -17% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -18% | 2,540 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -18% | 310 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -19% | 320 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -20% | 400 |
| Alabama | $37K | -23% | 1,880 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -23% | 650 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -25% | 2,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track veterinary technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 43.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,519/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinary technologists and technicians in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary technologists and technicians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,294/month. At HUD’s $1,519/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is veterinary technologists and technician a high-paying job in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $52K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood compare to the national average for veterinary technologists and technicians?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary technologists and technicians make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?
The median is $52,420 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,230, and experienced veterinary technologists and technicians can clear $74,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,494/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,519/month, which eats 43.5% 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 technologists and technicians salary go in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (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 technologists and technicians salary is worth about $54,861 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinary technologists and technicians 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.