Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a veterinary technologists and technicians in Richmond, VA is $53,220/year ($25.59/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $54,384 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 47.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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 Richmond
Richmond sits well above the national pay line for veterinary technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 12% 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 $1,655/month, which is 47% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) 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 Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $48K | $49K |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $52K | $56K |
| Roanoke | $47K | $50K |
| Charlottesville | $53K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level veterinary technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $35K 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 Richmond numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 47% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary technologists and technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,232/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Richmond?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $53K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for veterinary technologists and technicians?
Richmond pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary technologists and technicians make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $53,220 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,200, and experienced veterinary technologists and technicians can clear $71,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,521/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 47% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $54,384 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.