The annual salary is estimated on the basis of a 40 hour working week which translates into 2080 hours per year.

What is a Veterinary Technician?

A vet tech works under the supervision of a veterinarian.  A veterinary technician’s role is analogous to a nurse’s role in relation to a doctor.  The vet tech prepares the treatment room for the examination of animals; restrains animals during examinations, treatment, or inoculation, administers injections, applies wound dressings, cleans teeth and cleans up after the animals have gone.

Most veterinary technicians have a 2-year associate’s degree from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited community college program in veterinary technology. Some colleges offer a 4-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology.

In practical terms although veterinary technologists undergo twice the level of college training, when they qualify they carry out much the same functions as veterinary technicians and pay scales do not often give extra reward to those who have trained longer to become veterinary technologists.   Veterinary technician is the term most commonly used to describe both technicians and technologists.

Geographical variations in salary

The national salary figures quoted above mask considerable variations based on geography and setting.  The five highest paying states with their average salaries are:

Connecticut        $36,680
New York           $36,540
Alaska                $35,810
California            $35,300
Massachusetts   $35,190

By contrast average salaries are significantly lower in:

Mississippi          $25,120
West Virginia      $25,500
Georgia               $25,510

There are even larger variations in average salary levels between metropolitan areas and rural areas.  The highest paying cities are:

Sacramento        $44,580
Waterbury(CT)    $41,960
San Jose             $41,290
San Francisco     $40,250
Detroit                  $40,170
Albany (NY)         $39,990

In some rural areas average salaries are much lower:

East Kentucky            $20,520
Northwest Alabama    $22,020
Las Cruces (NM)        $22,710

The differences in salaries between cities and rural areas reflect different costs of living and other factors.  In cities high demand and limited supply are always going to push up salaries.

There are considerable variations in average salary levels within individual states.  For example in Southwest Minnesota the average salary stands at $33,630 while in Southeast Minnesota it is $27,700.

All these figures are averages which means that some vet techs will earn substantially more than the average and some will earn substantially less.

The other key factor which affects salary levels is length of experience in the job.  The more experienced you are the more responsibility you are likely to be given and that is likely to translate into higher salaries for the more experienced.  For those whose experience in the job is less than 8 years average salaries are commonly below $26,000 while those with 15 years of experience can expect, on average, more than $45,000 per year.

So the two key factors which determine the average vet tech salary are where you work and what level of experience you can offer.

Employment prospects

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are 79,000 vet techs in the US.  It also estimates that because of rising demand from pet owners, there will be between 2008 and 2016 a 36% growth in vet tech job opportunities which is considerably higher than the anticipated national average across all professions.

The Bureau also estimates that in spite of a growing number of accredited vet tech schools, there will only be around 3,800 newly qualified vet techs each year for the next few years which will not be enough to meet demand.  Furthermore because many vet techs do not stay in the profession for more than 10 years, these departures will create yet more vacancies.

It remains to be seen whether these potential shortages of vet techs in the coming years lead to a greater rise in salaries but the prospects are promising.

Vet techs and their work

The vast majority of vet techs and vet technologists work in private practice for veterinarians (vets). Vets are solely responsible for providing diagnoses, prognoses, performing surgery and prescribing medications.  It is the vet tech’s responsibility to provide effective nursing services to the animals in the vet’s care as well as carry out lab technician, radiography technician, surgical nurse and client educator roles.

In practice many vet techs do carry out various medical tests on animals and diagnose and treat medical conditions and diseases in animals, such as by performing laboratory tests on urine or blood samples or by assisting with dental care.  Experienced vet techs may discuss the health of pets with their owners and run training for new members of the clinical team.  Vet techs however remain under the supervision of the vet.

Vet techs working for small-animal vets usually care for small pets, such as cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and mice.  Very few vet techs also work with large animals such as cows or horses.

While most vet techs work in private practice there are also opportunities to work in other fields such as:

• emergency practice
• zoos
• hospital management teams
• sales of veterinary supplies
• biomedical facilities
• military service
• veterinary colleges
• private industry
• drug and feed manufacturing companies
• food safety inspection
• animal welfare societies

Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that vet techs working outside of private practice have higher salaries than the majority who work within private practice.

The working environment

Many people become vet techs because of their love of animals and because they want to help animals.  However some also find that the work can be unpleasant – cleaning up the mess left by animals, difficult when dealing with demanding pet owners, physically and emotionally challenging and sometimes dangerous with the ever present risk of being bitten.  Seeing abused animals or having to euthanize animals may be emotionally distressing.

It is clear that vet tech employment can be very satisfying for many people.  The numbers are growing every year and there is an even greater growth in the demand for vet techs.   The prospects are good.  Vet tech employment can only grow in significance.

Individuals aspiring to a veterinary technician career will find the vet tech notes detailed below interesting and useful.

With a high school diploma in hand, you are equipped to enter formal educational instruction in veterinary technology. There are diplomas and associate’s degrees that provide training for entry level positions in the veterinary field. A bachelor’s degree provides a more advanced form of training and is generally sought once a person finds employment as a veterinary technician.

Higher education in the form of a master’s degree or PhD may be pursued by professionals seeking to expand their career choices or to move into related employment fields.

With the completion of an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, the individual is qualified to work as a veterinary technician, but credentialing is a necessary requirement in all states and regions in America, to practice the profession.

Veterinary technicians need to make sure they choose an accredited program for study as it is a requirement for credentialing. The American Veterinary Medical Association accredits vet tech programs offered by schools and colleges.

After successful completion of the graduate program, the aspirant needs to pass the National Veterinary Technician (NVT) exam to receive credentialing. With this certification in hand, you are ready to launch your career as a veterinary technician.

Veterinary technicians are known in the United States by specific initials that include: CVT – Certified Veterinary Technician; LVT – Licensed Veterinary Technician;

RVT – Registered Veterinary Technician. Titling may vary depending on state specific regulations where the profession is practiced. NAVTA (The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America) has stated that regardless of the initials, the mandated term in use is “veterinary technician”.

Veterinary technicians work in a variety of settings that provide animal healthcare including private veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, animal shelters, zoos, research facilities, animal farms, wildlife reserves, aquariums, wildlife sanctuaries and certain state and federal government institutions.

Apart from credentialing, veterinary technicians can choose to specialize by earning veterinary technician specialty certification. This provides the individual with advanced skills in several specialized areas including: dentistry, emergency and critical care, small animal internal medicine, anesthesiology, cardiology, zoological medicine, surgery, equine veterinary nursing, oncology, nutrition, behavior, exotic animals and clinical practice. When certified, the veterinary technician carries the additional initials “VTS” with the specialization added after the initials.

Veterinary technicians take an oath like doctors generally do, dedicating themselves to helping animals and society by providing services and care for animals. They also have to abide by the veterinary profession’s code of ethics in the practice of their occupation.

The veterinary technician career is one of the most promising in the healthcare industry. Though the pay scales are not too high, they are fairly decent. But the greatest satisfaction comes from doing a job you love.

Veterinary technicians work with trained veterinarians to provide a range of animal healthcare services. After completing your training through a college or school that offers accredited programs in veterinary technology, you will enter the work environment to seek employment in a setting that includes zoos, private or public animal clinics, animal farms, aquariums, animal hospitals or animal shelters to provide animal healthcare services.

The education opportunities available are diplomas generally completed within a year, associate’s degree programs that take two years to complete and bachelor’s degrees that take four years to complete.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredits associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree programs offered by various education institutions in the country.

When you graduate from a veterinary technology degree program by successfully passing the vet tech exam you can enhance your career opportunities by earning credentialing. To receive credentialing you need to first pass the National Veterinary Technician (NVT) exam. Success in the NVT exam depends on the kind of education you receive. When you study in an accredited program you receive a well-round education with a solid foundation in various aspects of animal healthcare including animal medicine, veterinary diseases, animal behavior, veterinary pharmacology, laboratory procedures, animal dentistry, surgical assisting and anesthesiology.

Let us pause a moment to consider the process for sitting vet tech exams. You will first need to complete your vet tech degree and pass the exam to graduate from the program.

Following the completion of your degree program, you need to pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). The VTNE in turn is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). It may sound complicated at first, but it is quite simple really. You pass the vet tech exam to get your degree and then you pass the VTNE exam. The VTNE exam is a process that evaluates the veterinary technician’s competency in practicing and serves as a stepping stone to credentialing. Actually, most states in America require students to receive a passing score on the VTNE exam as it is one of the criteria for credentialing.

Veterinary technicians graduating from an accredited program are allowed to take the veterinary technician credentialing exam. It should be understood that regulations pertaining to veterinary technicians vary between states. But the standard for veterinary technicians in all states is to take the credentialing exam once the degree is completed. The credentialing exam comprises three parts: oral, written and practical exams.

Successful completion of the credentialing exam by a veterinary technician will lead to the individual becoming registered, licensed or certified. The exact procedure will depend on state regulations for veterinary technicians.

It may seem like an awful lot of vet tech exams before you get to be a qualified veterinary technician. But the end result is well worth it in terms of job satisfaction.

Vet assistant vs vet tech – duties

A veterinary assistant is an important member of the veterinary team providing support to licensed veterinarians in the provision of healthcare to animals. The role varies depending on where the individual is employed and may include clinical assistance, front office or a combination of both services that may include feeding, watering, examining and caring for animals, cleaning and disinfecting cages and work spaces, performing sterilization tasks for laboratory and surgical equipment, providing postoperative care, administering medications orally or topically, preparing samples, and any other veterinary related duties they are called upon to perform within the scope of their profession.

Veterinary technicians provide services that are similar in nature to the services provided by the veterinarian they work with. Specific duties vary depending on the employer. Veterinary technicians perform tasks that may include taking blood samples, perform laboratory tests, assisting with surgeries, assisting with dental care, perform diagnostic tests, record patient history, provide nursing care and any other veterinary related duties they are called upon to perform within the scope of their profession.

Vet assistant vs vet tech – education

Veterinary assistants require a high school diploma to purse a diploma or certificate program. There are veterinary assistant training programs offered by various schools that are specifically designed to provide theoretical instruction and clinical experience in animal medicine, laboratory procedures, nursing skills, cleaning, disinfecting, lab sterilization, routine post operative care management among other things with an emphasis on small animal techniques.

Vet tech jobs require an associate’s degree – a two year program or a bachelor’s degree – four year program in veterinary technology to practice the profession.

Vet assistant vs vet tech – credentials

Veterinary assistants generally go straight into a job and gain on-the-job training. Veterinary assistants do not need licensure or credentialing to practice their profession. They can choose to get certified to improve career prospects and as a stepping stone to a veterinary technician’s role.

Veterinary technicians will need to get credentialed to practice the profession via vet tech programs. The first step in the process is to complete an accredited degree program and then take the National Veterinary Technician (NVT) exam to receive credentialing. All states in America require credentialing by state regulation.

Vet Assistant vs vet tech – salary

Veterinary assistants earned approximately $29,000 per annum in 2009 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Veterinary technicians can earn as much as $50,000 per annum depending on the level of educational qualifications earned and the work experience.

Vet Assistant vs vet tech – career progression

A veterinary assistant can pursue higher education such as an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree to move into a veterinary technician position.

A veterinary technician starts out with an associate’s degree, a minimum require and can pursue higher education such as a master’s degree or a PhD to move up the career ladder.

A veterinary assistant position is a junior entry level one, where the individual works under a veterinarian. On the other hand, the veterinary technician works with a veterinarian performing for the most part similar tasks.