Career
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
Care for animals in clinics and labs.
$38,150
Median pay
+9.1%
Job growth, 2025–35
23,200
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
- Fill medication prescriptions.
- Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then ideas & analysis?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though short-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $38,150 a year and 23,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary AssistantCIP 01.8301
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians, OtherCIP 01.8399
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,380 · +9.4%
- Animal Caretakers$35,360 · +12.1%
- Medical Assistants$45,690 · +12.9%
- Paramedics$60,600 · +5.7%
- Surgical Assistants$66,800 · +6.1%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.