Veterinary Assistant
Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension · Los Angeles, CA
- Cost
- $2,715
- Length
- 26 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 25%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 28
- Finished the program
- 52%Based on 29 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 25%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $6,248A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Veterinarians
Job ads may call this: Zoo Veterinarian (Zoo Vet) · Companion Animal Practitioner · Veterinary Medicine Doctor (DVM) · Veterinary Surgeon (Vet Surgeon)
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
What this pays in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $69,594 | $165,545 | $292,497 |
| Across California | $76,945 | $168,509 | $294,345 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $168,509per yearLos Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: $142,193
- Projected openings
- 4,130Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 940
- Projected change
- +16.3%
- Usually needs
- Doctoral or professional degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Doctorate or professional degree — 97% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Doctoral or professional degree. 3% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 0%
- High school diploma
- 0%
- Started college, no degree
- 0%
- Two-year degree
- 0%
- Four-year degree
- 0%
- Master's degree
- 3%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 97%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Avian Keeper · Animal Caregiver · Animal Care Provider · Small Animal Caretaker
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
- Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
- Fill medication prescriptions.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
- Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
What this pays in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $38,948 | $47,233 | $60,018 |
| Across California | $38,757 | $47,432 | $59,408 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $47,432per yearLos Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: $45,579
- Projected openings
- 33,120Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 6,890
- Projected change
- +15.2%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- Under a month
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 34% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 4% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 4%
- High school diploma
- 19%
- Started college, no degree
- 26%
- Two-year degree
- 15%
- Four-year degree
- 34%
- Master's degree
- 3%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 1%
Program details
This program provides online instruction, e-learning, or distance learning only.
A program that prepares individuals under the supervision of veterinarians laboratory animal specialists and zoological professionals to provide patient management care and clinical procedures assistance as well as owner communication. Includes instruction in animal nursing care animal health and nutrition animal handling clinical pathology radiology anesthesiology dental prophylaxis surgical assisting clinical laboratory procedures office administration skills patient and owner management and applicable standards and regulations.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
South Bay One Stop Business and Career Center - InglewoodComprehensive center
Phone: 424-419-4343 Ext: 7
110 South La Brea AvenueLa Brea Place Building, 5th FloorInglewood, CA 90301about 2.9 miles away
Hours: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Open every other Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
West LA WorkSource Center/ AJCCComprehensive center
Phone: 310-309-6000
5446 Sepulveda BoulevardCulver City, CA 90230about 3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
South Los Angeles - WorkSource CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 562-445-3673
5343 Crenshaw BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90043about 5 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →