What is a Veterinary Technologist or Technician?
Job Description: Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Life As a Veterinary Tech
- Clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials.
- Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures.
- Perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth.
- Maintain laboratory, research, or treatment records, as well as inventories of pharmaceuticals, equipment, or supplies.
- Provide information or counseling regarding issues such as animal health care, behavior problems, or nutrition.
- Take animals into treatment areas and assist with physical examinations by performing such duties as obtaining temperature, pulse, or respiration data.
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Veterinary Tech Needed Skills
When polled, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles
- Clinical Researcher
- Veterinary Assistant
- Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
- Veterinary Surgery Technician
- Emergency Veterinary Technician
Job Outlook for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 102,000 jobs in the United States for Veterinary Technologist or Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 20% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 20,400 new jobs for Veterinary Technologist or Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 10,700 positions for Veterinary Tech per year.
The states with the most job growth for Veterinary Tech are Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Maine, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Veterinary Tech
The typical yearly salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians is somewhere between $23,490 and $50,010.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians who work in Nevada, New York, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,480 |
| Alaska | $39,550 |
| Arizona | $33,910 |
| Arkansas | $29,990 |
| California | $41,920 |
| Colorado | $36,390 |
| Connecticut | $43,340 |
| Delaware | $34,670 |
| District of Columbia | $37,140 |
| Florida | $33,280 |
| Georgia | $31,690 |
| Hawaii | $35,950 |
| Idaho | $31,660 |
| Illinois | $36,750 |
| Indiana | $32,030 |
| Iowa | $35,500 |
| Kansas | $33,920 |
| Kentucky | $32,450 |
| Louisiana | $26,410 |
| Maine | $36,760 |
| Maryland | $36,190 |
| Massachusetts | $40,990 |
| Michigan | $37,420 |
| Minnesota | $38,740 |
| Mississippi | $36,060 |
| Missouri | $31,910 |
| Montana | $31,580 |
| Nebraska | $33,190 |
| Nevada | $46,370 |
| New Hampshire | $34,900 |
| New Jersey | $37,630 |
| New Mexico | $34,150 |
| New York | $43,190 |
| North Carolina | $32,760 |
| North Dakota | $35,990 |
| Ohio | $33,170 |
| Oklahoma | $29,600 |
| Oregon | $36,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,860 |
| Rhode Island | $35,670 |
| South Carolina | $31,630 |
| South Dakota | $33,720 |
| Tennessee | $31,150 |
| Texas | $31,010 |
| Utah | $30,560 |
| Vermont | $34,680 |
| Virginia | $39,060 |
| Washington | $38,220 |
| West Virginia | $30,360 |
| Wisconsin | $33,870 |
| Wyoming | $31,620 |
What Tools do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Veterinary Technologists and Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- FileMaker Pro
- McAllister Software Systems AVImark
How do I Become a Veterinary Tech?
Education needed to be a Veterinary Technologist or Technician:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Veterinary Tech?
Where Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Veterinary Technologists and Technicians employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Veterinary Technologist or Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Veterinary Technologist or Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Ryan Conroy via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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