What are the main factors that influence a Certified Vet Tech's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Certified Vet Tech?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Certified Vet Tech roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

How does experience change A Certified Vet Tech's salary?

A Certified Vet Tech's salary grows with experience: starting around $43,869 for beginners, reaching about $48,468 at mid-level, and approach $49,116 for experts.

What are the highest paying cities for a Certified Vet Tech?

Certified Vet Tech salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in California for Certified Vet Tech roles are San Jose $48,361, San Francisco $47,831, Oakland $46,823.

How much do different types of Certified Vet Tech roles make?

Salaries for Certified Vet Tech level roles vary by specialization: Certified Scrub Tech: $56,080; Vet Tech: $47,320; Certified Dermatology Tech: $46,415; Vet Tech Assistant: $46,165; Vet: $42,361.

What specialized skills increase a Certified Vet Tech's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Flexibility (up to 17% premium), Dedication (up to 14% premium), Acute Care (up to 8% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Certified Vet Tech Salary in Aptos, CA

How much does a Certified Vet Tech make in Aptos, CA?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Vet Tech in Aptos, CA is $43,691 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, a Certified Vet Tech's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $57,519
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,412 to $50,929
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $35,515

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Certified Vet Tech Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,929	$4,244	$979	$24
Average	$43,691	$3,641	$840	$21
25th Percentile	$39,412	$3,284	$758	$19

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Key Factors That Influence Certified Vet Tech Salaries

A Certified Vet Tech's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Certified Vet Tech Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Certified Vet Tech's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $43,869
Early Career (1-2 years): $44,841
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $48,468
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $48,857
Expert (over 8 years): $49,116

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Certified Vet Tech	$43,869
Intermediate Level Certified Vet Tech	$44,841
Senior Level Certified Vet Tech	$48,468
Specialist Level Certified Vet Tech	$48,857
Expert Level Certified Vet Tech	$49,116

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Certified Vet Teches

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $48,361
San Francisco: $47,831
Oakland: $46,823

San Jose, CA $48,361

San Francisco, CA $47,831

Oakland, CA $46,823

New York, NY $44,146

Paramus, NJ $43,610

Queens Village, NY $43,608

Passaic, NJ $43,571

Bergenfield, NJ $43,568

Stamford, CT $43,483

Huntington, NY $43,468

Newark, NJ $43,184

Bridgeport, CT $43,103

Vallejo, CA $43,027

New Brunswick, NJ $43,012

Petaluma, CA $42,989

Middlesex, NJ $42,916

Somerset, NJ $42,889

Santa Cruz, CA $42,839

Boston, MA $42,605

Monterey, CA $42,471

Seattle, WA $42,383

Santa Rosa, CA $42,375

Los Angeles, CA $42,364

Juneau, AK $42,264

Washington, DC $42,222

Orange, CA $42,085

Santa Ana, CA $41,984

Long Beach, CA $41,946

Anaheim, CA $41,938

Anchorage, AK $41,919

Santa Maria, CA $41,804

Everett, WA $41,796

Danbury, CT $41,661

Bremerton, WA $41,609

Tacoma, WA $41,470

New Suffolk, NY $41,470

Sacramento, CA $41,459

Santa Barbara, CA $41,417

Trenton, NJ $41,375

San Diego, CA $41,375

Brockton, MA $41,332

Fairbanks, AK $41,239

Lompoc, CA $41,141

Lowell, MA $41,110

Ventura, CA $41,102

Nashua, NH $41,095

Stockton, CA $41,091

Modesto, CA $40,811

Poughkeepsie, NY $40,727

Olympia, WA $40,654

Kennewick, WA $40,654

New Haven, CT $40,638

Lawrence, MA $40,500

Hartford, CT $40,462

Riverside, CA $40,454

New Bedford, MA $40,416

Richland, WA $40,416

Bakersfield, CA $40,362

San Bernardino, CA $40,347

New Britain, CT $40,343

Atlantic City, NJ $40,343

New London, CT $40,328

Norwich, CT $40,316

Portsmouth, NH $40,309

Boulder, CO $40,227

Portland, OR $40,175

Worcester, MA $40,171

Minneapolis, MN $40,052

Philadelphia, PA $39,998

Honolulu, HI $39,872

Saint Paul, MN $39,853

Vineland, NJ $39,845

Providence, RI $39,734

Chicago, IL $39,622

Bellingham, WA $39,576

Springfield, MA $39,546

Baltimore, MD $39,534

Chico, CA $39,438

Pittsfield, MA $39,335

Manchester, NH $39,262

Spokane, WA $39,093

Denver, CO $39,089

Albany, NY $38,909

Troy, NY $38,894

Nassau, NY $38,853

Schenectady, NY $38,813

Wilmington, DE $38,783

Burlington, VT $38,729

Salem, OR $38,714

Portland, ME $38,595

Yakima, WA $38,557

Rochester, MN $38,438

Reno, NV $38,418

Fresno, CA $38,418

Milwaukee, WI $38,384

Detroit, MI $38,346

Ann Arbor, MI $38,339

Allentown, PA $38,334

Colorado Springs, CO $38,269

Syracuse, NY $38,250

Carson City, NV $38,250

Houston, TX $38,196

Eugene, OR $38,177

Gary, IN $38,131

Springfield, OR $38,100

Bismarck, ND $38,093

Galveston, TX $38,066

Medford, OR $38,008

Fort Collins, CO $37,993

Concord, NH $37,974

Austin, TX $37,962

Mesa, AZ $37,882

Reading, PA $37,878

Phoenix, AZ $37,874

Dallas, TX $37,863

Saint Cloud, MN $37,826

Madison, WI $37,774

Utica, NY $37,671

Rochester, NY $37,609

Des Moines, IA $37,606

Raleigh, NC $37,602

Atlanta, GA $37,544

Battle Creek, MI $37,533

Salt Lake City, UT $37,521

Lancaster, PA $37,464

Harrisburg, PA $37,410

Kansas City, MO $37,372

Champaign, IL $37,364

Kansas City, KS $37,364

Fort Worth, TX $37,360

Columbus, OH $37,354

Boca Raton, FL $37,345

Pittsburgh, PA $37,330

Richmond, VA $37,314

Indianapolis, IN $37,307

Cleveland, OH $37,303

Las Vegas, NV $37,257

Cincinnati, OH $37,257

Petersburg, VA $37,199

Huntsville, AL $37,142

Lansing, MI $37,116

Lebanon, PA $37,111

Pueblo, CO $37,107

Appleton, WI $37,096

Buffalo, NY $37,080

Dayton, OH $37,069

Racine, WI $37,061

Charlotte, NC $37,057

Saint Louis, MO $37,046

York, PA $37,023

Elkhart, IN $37,023

Gastonia, NC $37,016

Billings, MT $37,006

Beaumont, TX $36,996

Lorain, OH $36,988

Benton Harbor, MI $36,981

Toledo, OH $36,973

Binghamton, NY $36,954

Rock Hill, SC $36,950

Rockford, IL $36,931

Springfield, IL $36,915

Elyria, OH $36,912

Fargo, ND $36,912

Flagstaff, AZ $36,885

Fort Lauderdale, FL $36,862

Duluth, MN $36,839

Miami, FL $36,839

Cheyenne, WY $36,812

Grand Forks, ND $36,812

Bangor, ME $36,728

Cedar Rapids, IA $36,685

Durham, NC $36,669

Louisville, KY $36,666

Grand Rapids, MI $36,659

Hialeah, FL $36,655

Casper, WY $36,601

Scranton, PA $36,555

New Orleans, LA $36,544

Virginia Beach, VA $36,540

Akron, OH $36,521

Peoria, IL $36,471

Sarasota, FL $36,463

Nashville, TN $36,436

Omaha, NE $36,436

Green Bay, WI $36,436

Baton Rouge, LA $36,417

Charleston, SC $36,409

Jamestown, NY $36,390

Davenport, IA $36,390

Tucson, AZ $36,371

Saint Petersburg, FL $36,348

Tampa, FL $36,340

Evansville, IN $36,317

Port Arthur, TX $36,317

Bradenton, FL $36,302

Santa Fe, NM $36,233

Orlando, FL $36,164

Clearwater, FL $36,152

Canton, OH $36,072

La Crosse, WI $36,072

Albuquerque, NM $36,049

Newport News, VA $36,045

High Point, NC $36,034

Ogden, UT $36,018

Corpus Christi, TX $35,988

Norfolk, VA $35,965

Laramie, WY $35,965

Rock Island, IL $35,942

Saginaw, MI $35,934

Jacksonville, FL $35,930

Salisbury, NC $35,922

Boise, ID $35,915

Moline, IL $35,896

Fort Myers, FL $35,884

Memphis, TN $35,876

Tulsa, OK $35,857

Waterloo, IA $35,834

Spartanburg, SC $35,796

Lincoln, NE $35,777

Fort Wayne, IN $35,769

Provo, UT $35,765

Cedar Falls, IA $35,719

San Antonio, TX $35,704

Greensboro, NC $35,689

South Bend, IN $35,685

Savannah, GA $35,643

Muskegon, MI $35,627

Birmingham, AL $35,623

Winston Salem, NC $35,605

Lake Charles, LA $35,512

Anderson, IN $35,505

Lexington, KY $35,493

Augusta, GA $35,482

Greenville, SC $35,482

Lima, OH $35,451

Wichita, KS $35,447

Tuscaloosa, AL $35,447

Columbia, SC $35,412

Springfield, OH $35,405

Asheville, NC $35,343

Bloomington, IN $35,317

Knoxville, TN $35,179

Shreveport, LA $35,175

Wilmington, NC $35,125

Roanoke, VA $35,125

Topeka, KS $35,056

Frankfort, KY $35,052

Oklahoma City, OK $35,025

Chillicothe, OH $35,010

Longview, TX $35,006

Melbourne, FL $35,002

Sioux Falls, SD $34,941

Mobile, AL $34,937

Terre Haute, IN $34,922

Altoona, PA $34,899

Amarillo, TX $34,872

Killeen, TX $34,860

Fayetteville, AR $34,830

Chattanooga, TN $34,818

Sioux City, IA $34,784

Idaho Falls, ID $34,776

Lynchburg, VA $34,745

Gainesville, FL $34,695

Portsmouth, OH $34,676

Little Rock, AR $34,669

Lafayette, LA $34,653

Youngstown, OH $34,653

Daytona Beach, FL $34,630

Clarksville, TN $34,626

Pensacola, FL $34,623

Temple, TX $34,620

Hopkinsville, KY $34,508

Erie, PA $34,500

Florence, SC $34,485

Charleston, WV $34,423

Great Falls, MT $34,404

Macon, GA $34,350

Tallahassee, FL $34,347

Fayetteville, NC $34,339

Waco, TX $34,331

Helena, MT $34,304

Pine Bluff, AR $34,290

Vincennes, IN $34,243

Lubbock, TX $34,228

Alamogordo, NM $34,205

Twin Falls, ID $34,170

Rapid City, SD $34,159

Jackson, MS $34,090

Huntington, WV $34,087

Greenville, MS $34,086

Parkersburg, WV $34,047

Montgomery, AL $34,040

Wichita Falls, TX $34,002

Springfield, MO $34,002

Biloxi, MS $33,982

Monroe, LA $33,944

Johnstown, PA $33,917

Sumter, SC $33,902

Columbus, GA $33,898

Pascagoula, MS $33,825

Abilene, TX $33,825

Kingsport, TN $33,725

Albany, GA $33,725

Gulfport, MS $33,714

Alexandria, LA $33,587

Fort Smith, AR $33,492

El Paso, TX $33,388

Las Cruces, NM $33,216

Harlingen, TX $33,118

Pocatello, ID $33,112

Florence, AL $33,062

Brownsville, TX $33,054

Mcallen, TX $32,974

Dothan, AL $32,920

Columbus, MS $32,693

Altus, OK $32,514

Lawton, OK $32,441

Pierre, SD $32,303

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Vet Tech's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 2.45% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
CPR (Mentioned in 2.63% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
Pediatric (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	2.45%
CPR	2.63%
Pediatric	1.19%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Vet Tech's salary.

Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Acute Care: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Flexibility	$51,118	17%
Dedication	$49,808	14%
Acute Care	$47,186	8%
Commitment	$46,749	7%
Leadership	$45,002	3%
Cardiology	$44,565	2%

Get Latest Data

Certified Vet Tech Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Certified Vet Tech roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 50% above the average. Conversely, Certified Vet Tech positions in Edu., Gov't & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Certified Vet Tech as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Certified Vet Tech

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$65,536	$32.0	50%

Certified Vet Tech Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Vet Tech's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$39,412

Average $43,691/year

$50,929

$3,284

Average $3,641/month

$4,244

$758

Average $840/week

$979

$19

Average $21/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,929	$4,244	$979	$24
Average	$43,691	$3,641	$840	$21
25th Percentile	$39,412	$3,284	$758	$19

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Certified Vet Tech job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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