Veterinary technicians enjoy incredible demand for their expertise and an impressive salary. And even though this is true for virtually every state in the country, there is no denying that some states are more appealing to veterinary technicians in this regard than others.
The exact reasons why a state can be considered a top state for veterinary technicians usually vary and can include factors such as successful veterinary practices and organizations, opportunity for growth, and opportunity for specialization, among others.
Ultimately, however, the indicators for the top states for veterinary technicians boil down to the demand/employment volume and the annual average salary.
Using these as the deciding metrics, below are the ultimate top states in the country to practice as a veterinary technician or technologist.
Top States for Veterinary Technicians by Demand
The following are the top states for veterinary technicians in the country based on the volume of employment and the level of demand for the profession.
The data cited is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics database.
1. Texas
Texas currently has the highest number of employed veterinary technicians in the country. The state employs 13,230 veterinary technologists and technicians.
The state also has a respectable annual mean wage of 33,650.
Additionally, Texas boasts two metropolitan areas in the top five highest-paying urban areas for vet techs and technologists.
The areas in question are the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area and the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area.
2. California
California is not only one of the highest paying states for veterinary technicians and technologists in the country, but it also has a high employment volume of 10,160 — good enough for second in the entire region.
The state also has the fifth-highest metropolitan area with the most employment for veterinary technologists and technicians in the country.
The area in question is the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area, with 2,900 employed veterinary technicians and technologists. Learn more about becoming a vet tech in Califonia.
3. Florida
Florida currently employs 9,520 veterinary technicians and technologies, qualifying it as the country’s third-highest state by employment volume.
Veterinary technicians in Florida also earn an annual average salary of $38,060.
4. Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, there are 5,220 employed veterinary technologists and technicians, which is the fourth highest in the country. Veterinary technicians in the state earn an annual average salary of $42,140.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area is also the sixth-highest employment metropolitan area for vet techs and technologists in the country.
5. New York
New York ranks in the top five states with the country’s highest employment numbers for veterinary technicians and technologists. The state currently boasts 4,970 employed veterinary technicians with an annual salary of $49,880.
New York also has the metropolitan area with the country’s highest employment numbers for vet techs. The area in question is the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area, with 4,960 employed veterinary technologists and technicians. Check out the top veterinary technician schools in New York.
Top States for Veterinary Technicians by Annual Average Salary
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following are the top states for veterinary technicians in the country based on the volume of average salary.
1. Washington
Judging strictly by the amount of salary earned, Washington is the best state to be a veterinary technician or technologist in the entire country. The state employs 2,410 veterinary technicians with an hourly mean wage of $24.85 and an annual average salary of $51,680.
The state also has four areas in the country’s top 10 highest-paying metropolitan regions for veterinary technologists and technicians. These include the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area, the Bremerton-Silverdale metropolitan area, the Kennewick-Richland metropolitan area, and the Mount Vernon- Anacortes metropolitan area.
2. California
California is the country’s second highest-paying state for veterinary technologists and technicians. Vet techs in the state earn an hourly mean wage of $24.02 and an annual average salary of $49,960.
The state has four areas in the country’s top 10 highest-paying metropolitan regions for veterinary technologists and technicians. These include the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area (which is the outright highest in the country), the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro area (which is the outright second highest), the Santa-Cruz Watsonville metropolitan area, and the Santa Rosa metro area.
3. New York
Veterinary technologists and technicians in New York earn $23.98 per hour. This equates to an annual average salary of $49,880.
New York also has two metropolitan areas in the country’s top 10 highest-paying urban areas for vet techs and technicians. These are the Ithaca and New York-Newark-Jersey City urban areas.
4. District of Columbia
With an hourly mean wage of $23.61 and an annual average salary of $49,110, veterinary technologists and technicians working in the District of Columbia enjoy the fourth highest salary among vet techs nationwide.
The region employs 170 veterinary technicians and technologists.
5. Alaska
Veterinary technicians and technologists in Alaska round up the top five highest-earning veterinary technicians in the country with an hourly mean wage of $22.43 and an annual average salary of $46,660.
The state currently employs 220 veterinary technicians and technologists.
