The median annual wage for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $44,830 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $44,940.
Pay spans roughly $37,230 at the 10th percentile to $54,350 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $21.56 per hour. An estimated 1,640 people work as veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
| Median (annual) | $44,830 |
| Mean (annual) | $44,940 |
| Median (hourly) | $21.56 |
| 10th percentile | $37,230 |
| 90th percentile | $54,350 |
| Employment | 1,640 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.