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Pay guide

Vet tech pay adjusted for cost of living

A $60,630 median in California and a $39,410 median in Texas are not $21,220 apart once rent and groceries are counted. This guide divides every state's BLS median by its BEA price parity and ranks the result, so you can see where a vet tech paycheck goes furthest.

Written by VetTeamJobs editorial

Credentialed reviewer pending (we are recruiting an LVT/CVT reviewer; email us if that is you)

Updated October 2026. About 9 minutes.

Data BLS OEWS May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities 2023

Suburban houses in the foreground with a city skyline behind them
Best adjusted median
Minnesota
$58,201 in US-average dollars
Best nominal median
District of Columbia
$61,270 before adjustment
Cheapest state to live
Arkansas
price parity 86.5 (US = 100)
Priciest state to live
California
price parity 112.6 (US = 100)

How we built this. We take the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians in each state and divide it by the state's 2023 BEA Regional Price Parity expressed as a fraction of 100. A state with a median of $50,000 and a price parity of 110 shows an adjusted $45,455: what that paycheck buys in a state of average prices. Price parities cover all items, housing included. States without a BLS estimate are left out. This is the same method Indeed Hiring Lab used for its "where salaries go furthest" rankings.

Top 12 states, vet tech median

After adjustment: median divided by BEA price parity 2023
  1. 1 Minnesota $58,201
  2. 2 District of Columbia $55,298
  3. 3 North Dakota $55,068
  4. 4 Washington $55,009
  5. 5 New York $54,842
  6. 6 California $53,845
  7. 7 Oregon $53,305
  8. 8 Indiana $52,842
  9. 9 Michigan $52,771
  10. 10 Maine $52,327
  11. 11 Ohio $52,277
  12. 12 Nevada $51,804

In US-average dollars. Highlighted bars moved into the top 12 only after adjustment.

In this guide

    Why the raw ranking misleads

    The BLS table says District of Columbia pays vet techs the most, a median of $61,270. It also happens to be one of the most expensive places in the country to live, with a price parity of 110.8 against a national 100. California ($60,630, parity 112.6) and Washington ($59,740, parity 108.6) are the same story. High wages cluster where housing is dear, because clinics there have to pay more to staff a treatment room at all.

    Divide each median by its price parity and the picture changes. Minnesota moves to the top at $58,201 in national-average dollars, District of Columbia is second at $55,298, North Dakota third at $55,068. The spread between the best and worst adjusted medians is $17,963, compared with $25,740 before adjustment: cost of living closes about 30 percent of the gap between states.

    States that climb after adjustment

    These states rank at least eight places higher once prices are counted. They are the places where a middle-of-the-market vet tech wage leaves the most room for rent, a car and a second job you no longer need.

    Biggest climbers: places gained in the ranking
    1. 1 South Dakota +19
    2. 2 Iowa +16
    3. 3 New Mexico +14
    4. 4 Kansas +13
    5. 5 North Dakota +13
    6. 6 Nebraska +11

    A climb of 10 means the state is tenth from where its raw median put it.

    South Dakota goes from rank 33 to 14 ($45,300 nominal, $51,419 adjusted), Iowa goes from rank 31 to 15 ($45,560 nominal, $51,306 adjusted), New Mexico goes from rank 34 to 20 ($44,790 nominal, $49,546 adjusted). None of these is a high-wage state on paper, which is exactly why postings there get overlooked by techs who sort by the raw number.

    States that fall

    Biggest fallers: places lost in the ranking
    1. 1 New Jersey -21
    2. 2 Hawaii -19
    3. 3 Massachusetts -19
    4. 4 Connecticut -13
    5. 5 Maryland -12
    6. 6 New Hampshire -11

    New Jersey drops from rank 15 to 36 ($49,050 nominal, $45,041 adjusted), Hawaii drops from rank 19 to 38 ($48,550 nominal, $44,705 adjusted), Massachusetts drops from rank 13 to 32 ($49,540 nominal, $45,786 adjusted). A fall is not a reason to avoid a state. It is a reason to negotiate on the posted number rather than assume the headline median is spendable, and to compare a specific metro's rent rather than the state average.

    Texas, California and the District, side by side

    JurisdictionBLS medianPrice parityAdjustedNominal rankAdjusted rank
    Texas$39,41097.2$40,5454350
    California$60,630112.6$53,84526
    District of Columbia$61,270110.8$55,29812

    Texas employs more vet techs than any other state and ranks 43 on raw pay; adjusted, it moves to 50. California goes from 2 to 6, and the District from 1 to 2. None of the three gain ground after adjustment. The general rule holds everywhere: a state keeps its rank only if its wage premium over the national median is at least as large as its price premium.

    Every state, nominal and adjusted

    Click a column to sort. "Open jobs" links to our live vet tech listings for the state.

    StateBLS medianMedian hourlyPrice parityAdjusted medianAdjusted hourlyNominal rankAdjusted rankOpen jobs
    Alabama $36,590 $17.59 90 $40,656 $19.54 49 49 21 open
    Alaska $46,480 $22.35 101.7 $45,703 $21.98 25 33 10 open
    Arizona $46,300 $22.26 101.1 $45,796 $22.02 29 31 96 open
    Arkansas $38,360 $18.44 86.5 $44,347 $21.32 47 41 13 open
    California $60,630 $29.15 112.6 $53,845 $25.89 2 6 348 open
    Colorado $49,650 $23.87 101.4 $48,964 $23.54 12 22 159 open
    Connecticut $50,950 $24.50 103.7 $49,132 $23.63 8 21 37 open
    Delaware $48,370 $23.25 99.3 $48,711 $23.41 20 23 5 open
    District of Columbia $61,270 $29.46 110.8 $55,298 $26.59 1 2 28 open
    Florida $46,380 $22.30 103.5 $44,812 $21.55 28 37 257 open
    Georgia $43,060 $20.70 96.7 $44,529 $21.41 37 40 80 open
    Hawaii $48,550 $23.34 108.6 $44,705 $21.49 19 38 12 open
    Idaho $42,120 $20.25 91.4 $46,083 $22.16 39 30 8 open
    Illinois $46,440 $22.33 98.9 $46,957 $22.58 26 27 116 open
    Indiana $48,720 $23.42 92.2 $52,842 $25.40 18 8 43 open
    Iowa $45,560 $21.90 88.8 $51,306 $24.66 31 15 23 open
    Kansas $45,810 $22.02 90 $50,900 $24.47 30 17 30 open
    Kentucky $39,590 $19.03 90.5 $43,746 $21.03 42 43 23 open
    Louisiana $35,530 $17.08 88.3 $40,238 $19.34 51 51 28 open
    Maine $50,810 $24.43 97.1 $52,327 $25.16 9 10 35 open
    Maryland $47,350 $22.76 104 $45,529 $21.88 23 35 69 open
    Massachusetts $49,540 $23.82 108.2 $45,786 $22.01 13 32 134 open
    Michigan $49,710 $23.90 94.2 $52,771 $25.37 11 9 73 open
    Minnesota $57,270 $27.53 98.4 $58,201 $27.98 5 1 52 open
    Mississippi $36,380 $17.49 87.3 $41,672 $20.03 50 48 15 open
    Missouri $43,520 $20.92 91.8 $47,407 $22.79 36 26 47 open
    Montana $41,170 $19.79 90.2 $45,643 $21.94 40 34 12 open
    Nebraska $43,680 $21.00 90.4 $48,319 $23.23 35 24 15 open
    Nevada $50,250 $24.16 97 $51,804 $24.91 10 12 22 open
    New Hampshire $48,780 $23.45 105.3 $46,325 $22.27 17 28 40 open
    New Jersey $49,050 $23.58 108.9 $45,041 $21.65 15 36 137 open
    New Mexico $44,790 $21.53 90.4 $49,546 $23.82 34 20 10 open
    New York $59,010 $28.37 107.6 $54,842 $26.37 4 5 268 open
    North Carolina $47,620 $22.89 94.1 $50,606 $24.33 22 18 162 open
    North Dakota $48,790 $23.46 88.6 $55,068 $26.48 16 3 See board
    Ohio $47,990 $23.07 91.8 $52,277 $25.13 21 11 96 open
    Oklahoma $39,100 $18.80 88.3 $44,281 $21.29 44 42 33 open
    Oregon $55,810 $26.83 104.7 $53,305 $25.63 6 7 53 open
    Pennsylvania $46,430 $22.32 97.5 $47,621 $22.89 27 25 118 open
    Rhode Island $45,310 $21.78 101.4 $44,684 $21.48 32 39 15 open
    South Carolina $39,020 $18.76 93.2 $41,867 $20.13 45 47 59 open
    South Dakota $45,300 $21.78 88.1 $51,419 $24.72 33 14 5 open
    Tennessee $42,810 $20.58 92.5 $46,281 $22.25 38 29 88 open
    Texas $39,410 $18.95 97.2 $40,545 $19.50 43 50 274 open
    Utah $40,560 $19.50 95 $42,695 $20.53 41 44 29 open
    Vermont $49,490 $23.79 96.6 $51,232 $24.63 14 16 25 open
    Virginia $52,090 $25.04 100.7 $51,728 $24.87 7 13 168 open
    Washington $59,740 $28.72 108.6 $55,009 $26.45 3 4 122 open
    West Virginia $37,700 $18.13 89.8 $41,982 $20.19 48 46 7 open
    Wisconsin $47,020 $22.61 93.1 $50,505 $24.29 24 19 71 open
    Wyoming $38,650 $18.58 90.8 $42,566 $20.46 46 45 4 open

    Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (29-2056) and BEA Regional Price Parities 2023. States with no BLS estimate are omitted.

    The map, adjusted

    Nominal median by state (the map shades BLS figures; use the table above for adjusted ranks)
    List view: every state, highest median first
    1. District of Columbia $61,270 median, $81,990 90th
    2. California $60,630 median, $75,860 90th
    3. Washington $59,740 median, $77,300 90th
    4. New York $59,010 median, $78,760 90th
    5. Minnesota $57,270 median, $65,120 90th
    6. Oregon $55,810 median, $77,710 90th
    7. Virginia $52,090 median, $75,770 90th
    8. Connecticut $50,950 median, $75,090 90th
    9. Maine $50,810 median, $57,690 90th
    10. Nevada $50,250 median, $65,420 90th
    11. Michigan $49,710 median, $63,020 90th
    12. Colorado $49,650 median, $60,380 90th
    13. Massachusetts $49,540 median, $64,470 90th
    14. Vermont $49,490 median, $58,430 90th
    15. New Jersey $49,050 median, $75,310 90th
    16. North Dakota $48,790 median, $56,980 90th
    17. New Hampshire $48,780 median, $60,840 90th
    18. Indiana $48,720 median, $59,490 90th
    19. Hawaii $48,550 median, $62,660 90th
    20. Delaware $48,370 median, $61,890 90th
    21. Ohio $47,990 median, $61,360 90th
    22. North Carolina $47,620 median, $59,420 90th
    23. Maryland $47,350 median, $74,460 90th
    24. Wisconsin $47,020 median, $59,110 90th
    25. Alaska $46,480 median, $75,820 90th
    26. Illinois $46,440 median, $60,520 90th
    27. Pennsylvania $46,430 median, $60,280 90th
    28. Florida $46,380 median, $57,870 90th
    29. Arizona $46,300 median, $58,350 90th
    30. Kansas $45,810 median, $58,250 90th
    31. Iowa $45,560 median, $63,860 90th
    32. Rhode Island $45,310 median, $63,590 90th
    33. South Dakota $45,300 median, $50,440 90th
    34. New Mexico $44,790 median, $56,870 90th
    35. Nebraska $43,680 median, $57,310 90th
    36. Missouri $43,520 median, $49,260 90th
    37. Georgia $43,060 median, $58,590 90th
    38. Tennessee $42,810 median, $57,040 90th
    39. Idaho $42,120 median, $48,660 90th
    40. Montana $41,170 median, $57,660 90th
    41. Utah $40,560 median, $55,330 90th
    42. Kentucky $39,590 median, $50,530 90th
    43. Texas $39,410 median, $54,610 90th
    44. Oklahoma $39,100 median, $53,880 90th
    45. South Carolina $39,020 median, $57,970 90th
    46. Wyoming $38,650 median, $49,260 90th
    47. Arkansas $38,360 median, $47,820 90th
    48. West Virginia $37,700 median, $48,170 90th
    49. Alabama $36,590 median, $49,060 90th
    50. Mississippi $36,380 median, $46,710 90th
    51. Louisiana $35,530 median, $47,690 90th

    How to use this when you compare offers

    • Rank the states you would actually move to by the adjusted column, not the raw one. Then open the jobs for the top two and look at what clinics there list.
    • Check the credential transfer first. A state that climbs the ranking is no use if your license takes six months to move. See credentials by state.
    • Use a metro's rent, not the state's. The parity is a state average; the metro you would live in can sit well above or below it.
    • Run your own number. The pay calculator has a cost-of-living toggle for any state and experience band, and compare my pay places your hourly rate on your state's ladder.

    Questions people search for

    Which state pays vet techs the most after cost of living?

    Minnesota. Its BLS median of $57,270 divided by a 2023 regional price parity of 98.4 is worth about $58,201 in national-average dollars. District of Columbia ($55,298) and North Dakota ($55,068) follow.

    Is California still a top state for vet tech pay after cost of living?

    California's median is $60,630, rank 2 nationally, but its price parity of 112.6 means a dollar buys about 89 cents of national-average goods. Adjusted, the median is worth $53,845, rank 6.

    What is a regional price parity?

    A BEA index of how much goods, services and housing cost in a state compared with the national average, which is set to 100. A state at 90 is about 10 percent cheaper than average; a state at 110 is about 10 percent dearer. This guide uses the 2023 state table, the latest published.

    Should I move to a cheaper state for the same pay?

    Only if the adjusted figure, your credential transfer and the number of open jobs all line up. A state can look great on this table and still have few openings or a slow license transfer. Check the open-jobs column and the credentials by state guide before you decide.

    Why does the adjusted figure not match my rent?

    Price parities average housing, groceries, utilities and services across a whole state. Austin and Amarillo share one Texas figure. Treat the adjusted number as a first filter, then compare actual rent in the metro you would live in.

    Jobs that match this guide

    Pay-listed first. 7,515 open tech, assistant, CSR, kennel and manager jobs on the board, refreshed daily. No DVM listings. Every Apply goes to the clinic's own site.

    Browse all jobs

    Vet Technician

    Community Veterinary Partners Group

    The Woodlands, TX

    • $17.00 to $23.00/hr
    • Part time

    Posted todayAbove Texas median (+6%)

    Veterinary Technician

    Community Veterinary Partners Group

    Phillipsburg, NJ

    • $18.00 to $26.00/hr
    • Full time
    • Swings

    Posted yesterdayBelow New Jersey median (-7%)

    Registered Veterinary Technician

    Mission Pet Health (Southern Veterinary Partners) Group

    Parma Heights, OH

    • $20.00 to $25.00/hr
    • Full time
    • GP

    Posted yesterdayAt Ohio median

    Registered Veterinary Technician

    Mission Pet Health (Southern Veterinary Partners) Group

    Eagle, CO

    • $22.00 to $26.00/hr
    • Full time
    • GP

    Posted yesterdayAt Colorado median

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    Sources

    1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state data, veterinary technologists and technicians (29-2056)
    2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state data (download, oesm25st.zip)
    3. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2023 (news release December 12, 2024, Table 2)
    4. Indeed Hiring Lab, US cities where salaries go furthest (method note on price parities), August 15, 2018
    5. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, 2025 to 2035 projections

    Pay guides are re-run each spring when the new OEWS release lands; career and credential guides are re-checked against state boards every six months. If you spot something out of date, email bynumenterprisesbe@gmail.com and we will fix it.

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