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Veterinary assistant salary in Texas

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$34,850median pay per year in Texas, or $16.75 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $24,070lowest 10% earn less
  2. $29,34025th percentile
  3. $34,850median
  4. $43,27075th percentile
  5. $46,890top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $38,150[3]

The median pay for veterinary assistants in Texas was $34,850 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $3,300 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
8,440[4]
Rank by median pay
45 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−8.7%[6]

How much do veterinary assistants make in Texas?

Veterinary assistants in Texas had a median wage of $34,850 a year, or $16.75 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $35,730[7]. Across the US, the median was $38,150[3], so Texas was $3,300 (8.7%) lower[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $48,620[8]. Veterinary assistants earned $13,770 less than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $24,070, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $46,890[2]. The middle half of pay ran from $29,340 to $43,270[2]. About 8,440 people held these jobs in Texas[4].

Among metro areas in or partly in Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median wage at $36,040[10]. San Antonio-New Braunfels had $36,010 and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had $35,370[11]. El Paso had $28,140[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for veterinary assistants in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$34,850[1]$38,150[3]
Median per hour$16.75[1]$18.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$24,070[2]$30,120[13]
Top 10% earn more than$46,890[2]$49,150[13]
Jobs8,440[4]126,580[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for veterinary assistants, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[11]$36,0402,350
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$35,3702,140
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$36,010950
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$35,530780
College Station-Bryan, TX$29,960410
El Paso, TX$28,140150
Amarillo, TX$30,210100
Corpus Christi, TX$33,650100

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for veterinary assistants in the states that border Texas, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[14]$37,500520
Oklahoma$34,8501,740
Arkansas$34,5701,460
Louisiana$30,4801,230

Median pay for veterinary assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for veterinary assistants are projected to grow 9.1% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a veterinary assistant make in Texas?
The median was $34,850 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $24,070 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $46,890[2].
How much does a veterinary assistant make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage was $16.75[1]. The hourly average was $17.18[7].
Which city in Texas pays veterinary assistants the highest?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median among the 12 metro areas with a published figure, at $36,040 a year[10].
Is Texas a good state for veterinary assistants?
Texas had the 45th highest median annual wage out of 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 8.7% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a veterinary assistant in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas was $34,850 per year and $16.75 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas: 10th percentile $24,070, 25th percentile $29,340, 75th percentile $43,270, 90th percentile $46,890. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in the US as a whole was $38,150 per year and $18.34 per hour, with about 126,580 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,440 people worked as Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 45th highest median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas ($34,850) was $3,300 (8.7%) lower than the US median ($38,150). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas was $35,730 per year and $17.18 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Texas was $13,770 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 12 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median annual wage, $36,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in the US: 10th percentile $30,120, 25th percentile $35,660, 75th percentile $45,710, 90th percentile $49,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in states that border Texas (highest first): New Mexico $37,500; Oklahoma $34,850; Arkansas $34,570; Louisiana $30,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers is projected to grow 9.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 23,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.