Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a veterinary technologists and technicians in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $58,690/year ($28.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.6), so that salary is closer to $54,042 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,512/month, about 65.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles’s Regional Price Parity (108.6). 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles sits well above the national pay line for veterinary technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 24% 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 $2,512/month, which is 63.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.6), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinary technologists and technicians in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $61K | $53K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $60K | $54K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $71K | $61K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $61K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Entry-level veterinary technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $14K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 63.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,512/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary technologists and technicians typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,909/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $59K here vs. $47K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compare to the national average for veterinary technologists and technicians?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary technologists and technicians make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $58,690 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,480, and experienced veterinary technologists and technicians can clear $62,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,949/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 63.6% 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles has a Regional Price Parity of 108.6 (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 technologists and technicians salary is worth about $54,042 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.