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Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay in Kentucky

$33,710avg. a year
$16.21 an hour · 1,840 employed

Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Kentucky earn an average of $33,710 a year. That is $6,630 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $40,340. The best-paying metro area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN at $38,920.

Pay by cityCompare states
$34,140Median pay
$16.21Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#46Of 50 states + D.C.

Top-paying Kentucky metro areas

Average pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers by metro area. Swipe to see all 6.

11,000 jobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$38,920
$18.71 an hour
2550 jobs
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$35,660
$17.14 an hour
3400 jobs
Lexington-Fayette, KY
$34,860
$16.76 an hour
4110 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$34,020
$16.35 an hour
570 jobs
Bowling Green, KY
$33,170
$15.95 an hour
6150 jobs
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
$32,330
$15.54 an hour

Why people trust JobPayFacts

Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
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Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers pay in Kentucky, charted

Pay over time

Kentucky, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian

Where Kentucky veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers work

Employment by metro area, May 2025

Average pay by state

May 2025 · Kentucky highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $36k$36k–$38k$38k–$43k$43k+Kentucky

Kentucky vs. neighbors

Average pay, May 2025
AreaAvg. payHourly
United States$40,340$19.39
Kentucky$33,710$16.21
Virginia$39,630$19.05
Illinois$39,410$18.95
Missouri$37,810$18.18
Ohio$37,200$17.89
Tennessee$36,330$17.47

Related jobs in Kentucky

All jobs in Kentucky

Average pay, Kentucky, May 2025

Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS

Questions and answers

How much do veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers make in Kentucky?

The average is $33,710 a year, and the median is $34,140. That is $6,630 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $40,340.

What is the hourly wage in Kentucky?

$16.21 an hour on average; the median is $16.41.

Where in Kentucky do they earn the most?

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($38,920), followed by Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN ($35,660). The lowest average among 6 metro areas with data is Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH ($32,330).

How does Kentucky rank?

Kentucky ranks #46 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.

Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-9096. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.