California vet tech pay by percentile
California veterinary technicians at the median earn $60,630, and the middle half earn $51,570 to $64,100.[onet_vet][oews] The whole California range sits above the national one: even its 10th percentile ($48,240) is higher than the national 25th ($38,910).
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,240 | $23.19 | $40,941 |
| 25th | $51,570 | $24.79 | $43,616 |
| Median (50th) | $60,630 | $29.15 | $50,896 |
| 75th | $64,100 | $30.82 | $53,684 |
| 90th | $75,860 | $36.47 | $62,198 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Vet tech hourly pay in California
Vet tech hourly pay in California is $29.15 at the median, $23.19 at the 10th percentile and $36.47 at the 90th.[onet_vet] BLS divides annual pay by 2,080 hours and leaves out overtime and shift differentials.[oews_faq] At the state median, a single filer keeps about $48,471 a year after federal tax, FICA and an assumed 4% effective California rate.[irs][ssa]
Vet tech salary by California metro area
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA pays vet techs the most in California, at a $71,090 median; Los Angeles is $60,670, San Diego $60,280 and Sacramento $60,970, while Visalia, CA is lowest at $47,350.[onet_vet]
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,090 | $34.18 | $54,080 | $79,930 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $67,280 | $32.35 | $52,720 | $78,430 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $62,810 | $30.20 | $49,650 | $75,120 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,940 | $29.78 | $45,770 | $74,310 |
| Salinas, CA | $61,330 | $29.49 | $49,620 | $75,890 |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,230 | $29.44 | $43,020 | $78,150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,970 | $29.31 | $49,370 | $75,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $60,670 | $29.17 | $48,400 | $76,390 |
| Napa, CA | $60,410 | $29.04 | $45,890 | $73,520 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $60,410 | $29.04 | $47,550 | $75,260 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,280 | $28.98 | $49,240 | $74,620 |
| Modesto, CA | $59,360 | $28.54 | $46,830 | $74,010 |
| Chico, CA | $59,300 | $28.51 | $48,260 | $72,030 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $58,690 | $28.22 | $48,480 | $62,570 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $58,510 | $28.13 | $46,980 | $73,190 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $58,490 | $28.12 | $48,790 | $71,110 |
| Yuba City, CA | $58,310 | $28.03 | $47,290 | $61,860 |
| Fresno, CA | $58,080 | $27.92 | $45,640 | $72,280 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $57,920 | $27.85 | $40,460 | $72,190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $56,010 | $26.93 | $47,170 | $62,230 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $55,730 | $26.79 | $41,450 | $61,360 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $53,710 | $25.82 | $40,710 | $62,530 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $52,000 | $25.00 | $40,280 | $62,400 |
| Redding, CA | $51,410 | $24.72 | $44,900 | $73,310 |
| Merced, CA | $50,420 | $24.24 | $38,610 | $60,840 |
| Visalia, CA | $47,350 | $22.76 | $41,170 | $59,730 |
RVT: the California vet tech title
California regulates veterinary technicians, and the credential title there is Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), according to the AAVSB's 2026 list of regulated jurisdictions.[aavsb_juris] The national exam is the Veterinary Technician National Exam, with a $375 application fee, and most jurisdictions require graduation from an AVMA-CVTEA-accredited program before you sit for it.[aavsb_apply][aavsb_path] California's own application steps and fees are set by its state board; confirm them there before you apply.
Vet tech vs vet assistant pay in California
In California a vet tech earns $14,370 more than a veterinary assistant at the median ($60,630 against $46,260).[onet_vet][onet_vasst] The national comparison and the training difference are on veterinary assistant salary; national vet tech pay by state and a school payback calculator are on veterinary technician salary; and other careers are ranked on the allied health careers overview.
Frequently asked questions
How much do vet techs make in California?
$60,630 a year at the California median (BLS, May 2025), or $29.15 an hour.
What is the vet tech salary in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim median is $60,670, or $29.17 an hour.
What is an RVT in California?
Registered Veterinary Technician, the title California uses for credentialed vet techs (AAVSB, 2026).
Where do vet techs make the most in California?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($71,090 median), then San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-2056.00 Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 31-9096.00 Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- 2026 Regulated and Non-Regulated Jurisdictions (veterinary technician credential titles)
- Applying to Take the VTNE ($375 exam fee)
- Review Your VTNE Pathway
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)