Veterinary technologists and technicians work with veterinarians in much the same fashion that registered nurses work with doctors. They provide hands-on care for their animal patients that includes recording medical histories, observing and documenting conditions and behavior, collecting tissue and other laboratory samples for analysis and administering medications. They also assist the veterinarian during examinations, treatment and surgical procedures. Qualifications for vet techs are determined by individual states, and vary from state to state.
Technician vs. Technologist
The level of education required for vet techs depends on whether the student works as a veterinary technician or a veterinary technologist. Although both careers fill essentially the same function, technologists require more education than technicians, and have greater opportunities to advance into management and supervisory positions.
Vet Tech Educational Requirements
Veterinary technicians and technologists must typically hold a high school diploma or an educational equivalent, such as the GED. Vet tech schooling requirements entail completion of an approved course of instruction in veterinary technology that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Veterinary technician programs typically require two years to complete, and most result in an associate degree. Veterinary technologists typically need a four-year bachelor's degree in veterinary technology from an accredited college or university, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.
Online vet tech programs are available at schools like San Jose College, or SJC. According to the SJC website, students in any state are eligible to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination, or VTNE, after passing online courses through SJC and completing hands-on training at an off-campus clinical site. Possible scores on the VTNE range from 200 to 800, with a minimum score of 425 needed to pass, reports Mometrix.
Vet Tech License and Certification
Veterinary technician requirements for licensing or certification vary by state. For example, the New York Office of the Professions requires veterinary technicians to be licensed. Licensure requirements include being of good moral character, completing the prescribed education program and passing the VTNE.
Candidates in Ohio must hold an Ohio Registered Veterinary Technician Certificate. Requirements for certification include a criminal background check, graduation from an accredited school of animal technology and a passing score on the VTNE.
Job Growth and Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS, projects new job opportunities for veterinary technicians and technologists to grow by 15 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than average. Candidates who are willing to work in rural areas treating small or large animals may have even better employment opportunities.
The national median annual income for veterinary techs was $36,260 as of May 2020, according to the BLS. The top 10 percent earned at least $52,410, while the bottom 10 percent of vet techs made $25,520 or less.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
- Summary
- What They Do
- Work Environment
- How to Become One
- Pay
- Job Outlook
- State & Area Data
- Similar Occupations
- More Info
Please enable javascript to play this video. Video transcript available at //www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHuStDPc2pM. Veterinary technologists and technicians do medical tests that help diagnose animals’ injuries and illnesses. Veterinary technologists and technicians
work in private clinics, laboratories, and animal hospitals. Their jobs may be physically or emotionally demanding. Many work evenings, weekends, or holidays. Veterinary technologists and technicians must complete a postsecondary program in veterinary technology. Technologists usually need a 4-year bachelor’s
degree, and technicians need a 2-year associate’s degree. Typically, both technologists and technicians must take a credentialing exam and become registered, licensed, or certified, depending on the requirements of the state in which they work. The median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians was $36,850 in May 2021. Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is projected to grow 20 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 15,500 openings for veterinary technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to
different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for veterinary technologists and technicians. Compare the job
duties, education, job growth, and pay of veterinary technologists and technicians with similar occupations. Summary
Quick Facts: Veterinary Technologists and Technicians 2021 Median Pay $36,850 per year
$17.72 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Associate's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2021 122,800
Job Outlook, 2021-31 20% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2021-31 24,100
What Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Do
Work Environment
How to Become a Veterinary Technologist or Technician
Pay
Job Outlook
State & Area Data
Similar Occupations
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about veterinary technologists and technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
What Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Do About this section
Veterinary technologists and technicians are responsible for the careful and humane handling of laboratory animals.
Veterinary technologists and technicians, supervised by licensed veterinarians, do medical tests that help diagnose animals’ injuries and illnesses.
Duties
Veterinary technologists and technicians typically do the following:
- Observe the behavior and condition of animals
- Provide nursing care or emergency first aid to recovering or injured animals
- Bathe animals, clip nails or claws, and brush or cut animals’ hair
- Restrain animals during exams or procedures
- Administer anesthesia to animals and monitor their responses
- Take x rays and collect and perform laboratory tests, such as urinalyses and blood counts
- Prepare animals and instruments for surgery
- Administer medications, vaccines, and treatments prescribed by a veterinarian
- Collect and record animals’ case histories
In addition to helping veterinarians during animal exams, veterinary technologists and technicians do a variety of clinical, care, and laboratory tasks.
Veterinary technologists and technicians who work in research-related jobs ensure that animals are handled carefully and are treated humanely. They may help veterinarians or scientists on research projects in areas such as biomedical research, disaster preparedness, and food safety.
Typically working with small-animal practitioners who care for cats and dogs, veterinary technologists and technicians also may have tasks that involve mice, cattle, or other animals.
Veterinary technologists and technicians may specialize in a particular discipline, such as dentistry, anesthesia, emergency and critical care, and zoological medicine.
Veterinary technologists typically work in more advanced research-related jobs, usually under the guidance of a scientist or veterinarian. Some technologists work in private clinical practices. Working primarily in a laboratory setting, they may administer medications; prepare tissue samples for examination; or record an animal’s genealogy, weight, diet, and signs of pain.
Veterinary technicians generally work in private clinical practices under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian. Technicians may do laboratory tests, such as a urinalysis, and help veterinarians conduct a variety of other diagnostic tests. Although they do some of their work in a laboratory, technicians also talk with animal owners. For example, they explain a pet’s condition or how to administer medication prescribed by a veterinarian.
Work Environment About this section
Veterinary technologists and technicians typically work in private clinics and animal hospitals.
Veterinary technologists and technicians held about 122,800 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of veterinary technologists and technicians were as follows:
| Veterinary services | 91% |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 3 |
| Social advocacy organizations | 2 |
Veterinary technologists and technicians typically work in private clinics and animal hospitals. They also may work in laboratories, colleges and universities, and humane societies.
Their jobs may be physically or emotionally demanding. For example, they may witness abused animals or may need to help euthanize sick, injured, or unwanted animals.
Injuries and Illnesses
Veterinary technologists and technicians risk injury on the job. They may be bitten, scratched, or kicked while working with scared or aggressive animals. Injuries may happen while the technologist or technician is holding, cleaning, or restraining an animal.
Work Schedules
Veterinary technologists and technicians may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.
How to Become a Veterinary Technologist or Technician
About this section
Typically, both technologists and technicians must pass a credentialing exam and must become registered, licensed, or certified, depending on the state in which they work.
Veterinary technologists and technicians must complete a postsecondary program in veterinary technology. Technologists usually need a 4-year bachelor’s degree, and technicians need a 2-year associate’s degree. Typically, both technologists and technicians must pass a credentialing exam to become registered, licensed, or certified, depending on the requirements of the state in which they work.
Education
Veterinary technologists usually have a 4-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. Veterinary technicians usually have a 2-year associate’s degree in a veterinary technology program. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredits veterinary technology programs. Most of these programs offer a 2-year associate’s degree for veterinary technicians; others offer a 4-year bachelor’s degree for veterinary technologists
People interested in becoming a veterinary technologist or technician can prepare by taking biology and other science courses in high school.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although each state regulates veterinary technologists and technicians differently, most candidates must pass a credentialing exam. Most states require technologists and technicians to pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), offered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards.
Important Qualities
Communication skills. Veterinary technologists and technicians communicate with supervisors, other staff, and animal owners. A growing number of technicians counsel pet owners on animal behavior and nutrition.
Compassion. Veterinary technologists and technicians must treat animals with kindness and must be sensitive when dealing with the owners of sick pets.
Detail oriented. Veterinary technologists and technicians must pay attention to detail. They must be precise when recording information, performing diagnostic tests, and administering medication.
Manual dexterity. Veterinary technologists and technicians must handle animals, medical instruments, and laboratory equipment with care. They need a steady hand for intricate tasks such as doing dental work, giving anesthesia, and taking x rays.
Physical strength. Veterinary technologists and technicians need to be able to manage and lift animals.
Median annual wages, May 2021 Pay About this section
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
The median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians was $36,850 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,100.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for veterinary technologists and technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | $46,780 |
| Veterinary services | 36,770 |
| Social advocacy organizations | 35,480 |
Veterinary technologists and technicians working in research positions often earn more than those in other fields.
Veterinary technologists and technicians may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.
Percent change in employment, projected 2021-31 Job Outlook
About this section
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is projected to grow 20 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 15,500 openings for veterinary technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
As the number of households with pets and spending on pets continue to rise, demand is expected to increase for veterinary technologists and technicians to do laboratory work and imaging services on household pets.
Employment projections data for veterinary technologists and technicians, 2021-31SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program | |||||
| 29-2056 | 122,800 | 146,900 | 20 | 24,100 | Get data |
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows
projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. CareerOneStop includes hundreds of
occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a
salary info tool to search for wages by zip code. State & Area Data About this section
Occupational
Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Projections Central
CareerOneStop
Similar Occupations About this section
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of veterinary technologists and technicians.
|
| Animal Care and Service Workers | Animal care and service workers attend to or train animals. | High school diploma or equivalent | $28,730 |
| | Radiologic and MRI Technologists | Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations on patients. MRI technologists operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to create diagnostic images. | Associate's degree | $61,980 |
| | Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances. | Bachelor's degree | $57,800 |
| | Phlebotomists | Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. | Postsecondary nondegree award | $37,380 |
| | Surgical Assistants and Technologists | Surgical assistants and technologists help with surgical operations. | Postsecondary nondegree award | $48,510 |
| | Veterinarians | Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. | Doctoral or professional degree | $100,370 |
| | Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers handle routine animal care and help scientists, veterinarians, and others with their daily tasks. | High school diploma or equivalent | $29,780 |
Last Modified Date: Thursday, September 8, 2022