Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Moderate Risk
41%

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Vote Comments (4)
AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
52%
(Moderate Risk)
POLLING
29%
(Low Risk, Based on 52 votes)
Average: 41%
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
19.4%
by year 2033
WAGES
$36,440
or $17.52 per hour
Volume
115,770
as of 2023
SUMMARY
What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
5.8/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

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Calculated automation risk

52% (Moderate Risk)

Moderate Risk (41-60%): Occupations with a moderate risk of automation usually involve routine tasks but still require some human judgment and interaction.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Assisting and Caring for Others

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions

  • Manual Dexterity

  • Finger Dexterity

  • Social Perceptiveness

User poll

29% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted there's a low chance this occupation will be automated. However, the automation risk level we have generated suggests a higher chance of automation: 52% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers' job openings is expected to rise 19.4% by 2033

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers' was $36,440, or $18 per hour

'Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers' were paid 24.2% lower than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 115,770 people employed as 'Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers' within the United States.

This represents around 0.08% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 1 thousand people are employed as 'Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers'.

Job description

Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

SOC Code: 31-9096.00

Comments (4)

Anna (Low)
21 Jul 2022 11:17
I work as a laboratory technician and am involved in many procedures like injections, small surgeries, etc., that cannot be automated.
Mona (No chance)
04 Dec 2020 16:43
Animals rely on things like scents to tell them about people. They wouldn't take to robots
Jeffrey Hunt (Low)
13 Aug 2019 15:35
The number of companion animals is increasing steadily. Veterinary assistant requires a lot of physical handling of animals; feeding, feeling, etc. in addition to person-skills and communication skills in working with pet owners.
Anonymous (Low)
22 Jun 2019 03:16
$5 bucks says my dog flips out when the angry metal thing tries to put something in its butt.
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