Veterinary Technologists and Technicians: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Perform?
Typical responsibilities of veterinary technologists and technicians include:
- Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.
- Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
- Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.
- Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.
- Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Restrain animals during exams or procedures.
- Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures.
- Clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials.
What Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Need to Know
Effective veterinary technologists and technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Animal Care Technician (Animal Care Tech)
- Animal Health Technician (Animal Health Tech)
- Animal Technician (Animal Tech)
- Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT)
- Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech)
- Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician (Internal Medicine Vet Tech)
- Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT)
- Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 1,946,495 veterinary technologists and technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -4.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,148 |
| Hourly median | $22.67 |
| 10th percentile | $26,888 |
| 25th percentile | $37,018 |
| 75th percentile | $57,279 |
| 90th percentile | $67,409 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $59,080 |
| New York | $58,830 |
| District of Columbia | $55,900 |
| Virginia | $55,790 |
| California | $55,080 |
| Minnesota | $49,480 |
| Maine | $49,460 |
| Oregon | $48,950 |
| Connecticut | $48,880 |
| New Jersey | $48,630 |
| New Hampshire | $48,600 |
| Nevada | $48,590 |
| Colorado | $48,360 |
| Illinois | $47,860 |
| Hawaii | $47,670 |
| Indiana | $47,520 |
| Michigan | $47,150 |
| Massachusetts | $47,130 |
| Delaware | $47,100 |
| Vermont | $46,650 |
| Maryland | $46,620 |
| Ohio | $46,390 |
| North Carolina | $45,460 |
| Wisconsin | $45,340 |
| South Dakota | $45,220 |
| Arizona | $45,110 |
| Rhode Island | $42,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,910 |
| Iowa | $41,780 |
| North Dakota | $40,900 |
| Florida | $40,380 |
| Montana | $39,690 |
| Utah | $39,400 |
| Nebraska | $39,180 |
| Kansas | $39,070 |
| Missouri | $39,010 |
| Georgia | $38,810 |
| New Mexico | $37,980 |
| South Carolina | $37,960 |
| Oklahoma | $37,920 |
| Wyoming | $37,580 |
| Texas | $37,250 |
| Kentucky | $37,180 |
| Tennessee | $36,940 |
| Idaho | $36,670 |
| West Virginia | $36,350 |
| Mississippi | $36,090 |
| Arkansas | $34,880 |
| Alabama | $30,480 |
| Louisiana | $29,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,530 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for veterinary technologists and technicians vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $54,522 | 12.5% | 0.76 |
| Middle Atlantic | $49,204 | 14.2% | 1.00 |
| New England | $47,551 | 6.4% | 1.35 |
| Great Lakes | $46,897 | 13.4% | 0.95 |
| Plains States | $44,309 | 7.3% | 1.23 |
| Rocky Mountains | $44,151 | 5.4% | 1.40 |
| Southeast | $40,051 | 24.1% | 1.02 |
| Southwest | $38,555 | 16.3% | 1.31 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $66,300 | 1,220 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $64,750 | 60 |
| Corvallis, OR | OR | $63,970 | 100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $60,430 | 1,190 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $60,180 | 450 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $59,240 | 80 |
| Kingston, NY | NY | $58,660 | 60 |
| Yakima, WA | WA | $58,230 | 110 |
Industry Breakdown
Most veterinary technologists and technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 120,950 | $45,780 |
| Educational Services | 4,050 | $51,250 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3,610 | $41,730 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 270 | $55,030 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 260 | $47,780 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 220 | $45,880 |
| Retail Trade | 190 | $54,080 |
| Manufacturing | 180 | $74,810 |
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for veterinary technologists and technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
Typical veterinary technologists and technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Veterinarians (Supplemental)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Supplemental)
- Urologists (Supplemental)
- Pediatric Surgeons (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring veterinary technologists and technicians often complete programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2056.00 (Veterinary Technologists and Technicians).
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