Best Cities for Veterinary Technologists and Technicianss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where veterinary technologists and technicianss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.25	$59,090	$59,387	30%
2	MinnesotaState	1.23	$57,270	$58,439	27%
3	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.23	$53,100	$58,224	28%
4	WashingtonState	1.18	$59,740	$55,676	38%
5	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.18	$67,280	$55,973	56%
6	CaliforniaState	1.16	$60,630	$54,770	45%
7	IndianaState	1.14	$48,720	$53,834	26%
8	MichiganState	1.14	$49,710	$53,857	27%
9	OregonState	1.14	$55,810	$54,184	34%
10	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.14	$58,300	$54,082	37%
11	District of ColumbiaState	1.13	$61,270	$53,605	41%
12	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.13	$61,260	$53,596	43%
13	OhioState	1.12	$47,990	$53,086	26%
14	New YorkState	1.11	$59,010	$52,453	38%
15	North DakotaState	1.11	$48,790	$52,689	24%
16	Columbus, OHMetro	1.11	$49,260	$52,684	32%
17	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.10	$60,670	$52,077	45%
18	IowaState	1.08	$45,560	$51,076	25%
19	WisconsinState	1.08	$47,020	$50,943	28%
20	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.08	$57,630	$51,090	42%
21	KansasState	1.07	$45,810	$50,900	27%
22	MaineState	1.07	$50,810	$50,912	31%
23	NevadaState	1.06	$50,250	$50,150	35%
24	North CarolinaState	1.06	$47,620	$50,445	33%
25	VirginiaState	1.06	$52,090	$50,329	36%
26	South DakotaState	1.05	$45,300	$49,890	25%
27	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.05	$46,260	$49,849	33%
28	MissouriState	1.04	$43,520	$49,120	29%
29	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.04	$45,420	$49,103	31%
30	New MexicoState	1.03	$44,790	$48,685	28%
31	VermontState	1.02	$49,490	$48,283	35%
32	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.02	$46,310	$48,340	39%
33	DelawareState	1.01	$48,370	$47,891	34%
34	IllinoisState	1.01	$46,440	$47,680	34%
35	NebraskaState	1.01	$43,680	$47,738	29%
36	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$46,430	$47,866	33%
37	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.01	$47,100	$47,817	44%
38	ConnecticutState	1.00	$50,950	$47,351	37%
39	ColoradoState	0.99	$49,650	$47,106	45%
40	TennesseeState	0.99	$42,810	$46,787	35%
41	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.99	$48,340	$46,705	40%
42	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.98	$44,740	$46,219	43%
43	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.98	$44,640	$46,403	42%
44	ArizonaState	0.97	$46,300	$45,887	39%
45	GeorgiaState	0.97	$43,060	$46,103	39%
46	New HampshireState	0.97	$48,780	$46,019	39%
47	FloridaState	0.96	$46,380	$45,695	45%
48	MassachusettsState	0.96	$49,540	$45,659	55%
49	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.96	$44,360	$45,638	43%
50	New JerseyState	0.95	$49,050	$45,083	44%
51	Rhode IslandState	0.95	$45,310	$45,085	40%
52	West VirginiaState	0.95	$37,700	$44,774	27%
53	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.95	$50,970	$44,907	60%
54	AlaskaState	0.94	$46,480	$44,564	35%
55	ArkansasState	0.94	$38,360	$44,450	27%
56	KentuckyState	0.94	$39,590	$44,734	29%
57	HawaiiState	0.93	$48,550	$44,136	59%
58	OklahomaState	0.93	$39,100	$44,181	30%
59	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.93	$46,650	$44,093	43%
60	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.93	$47,620	$43,889	51%
61	IdahoState	0.92	$42,120	$43,648	34%
62	MarylandState	0.92	$47,350	$43,361	43%
63	MississippiState	0.91	$36,380	$42,901	30%
64	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.91	$39,560	$43,000	40%
65	MontanaState	0.90	$41,170	$42,707	33%
66	South CarolinaState	0.90	$39,020	$42,413	39%
67	AlabamaState	0.89	$36,590	$42,009	31%
68	WyomingState	0.88	$38,650	$41,559	31%
69	TexasState	0.87	$39,410	$41,224	42%
70	UtahState	0.85	$40,560	$40,479	44%
71	LouisianaState	0.83	$35,530	$39,434	35%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).