Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary
in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
- Middle 50%
- $44,810–$48,880
- vs U.S. median
- +24%
- Metro rank
- #4 of 119
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro earn a median of $47,150 a year, based on BLS estimates for 200 jobs (May 2025). That is 24% above the U.S. median of $38,150 and 2% above the CA statewide median of $46,260. It ranks #4 of 119 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE200 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,400 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,210 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,270 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $46,990 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,720 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $46,070 |
| Modesto, CA | $45,560 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $45,530 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SANTA CRUZ
Questions
What is the average Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary in Santa Cruz?
The BLS median is $47,150 a year (May 2025). Half of the 200 jobs pay between $44,810 and $48,880. The 10th percentile is $39,100 and the 90th is $58,510.
Is Santa Cruz a high-paying metro for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers?
That is 24% above the U.S. median of $38,150 and 2% above the CA statewide median of $46,260. It ranks #4 of 119 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
About $22.67 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $47,150 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $21.54–$23.50 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.