Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers to grow 9.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 12,000 more jobs), with about 23,200 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $38,150 a year ranks 752nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +9.1%
- Openings a year
- 23,200
- Median pay
- $38,150
- Pay rank
- 752nd of 825
Is employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers to rise 9.1% (about 12,000 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +13.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 17 healthcare support occupations with a projection. That change ranks 79th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 132,100 |
| Employment, 2035 | 144,200 |
| Projected change | +9.1% |
| Openings a year | 23,200 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 132,100 jobs here differ from the 126,580 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 23,200 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 144th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,200 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers rank?
The median of $38,150 a year ranks 752nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistants | +12.9% | 109,700 | $45,690 |
| Nursing Assistants | +2.6% | 196,200 | $42,260 |
| Phlebotomists | +6.8% | 18,000 | $45,230 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | +9.4% | 13,400 | $47,380 |
| Animal Caretakers | +12.1% | 62,800 | $35,360 |
| Paramedics | +5.7% | 4,300 | $60,600 |
| Surgical Assistants | +6.1% | 1,400 | $66,800 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | +5.8% | 13,800 | $44,470 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.