Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

Summary

Veterinary technicians work under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Quick Facts: Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
2010 Median Pay	$29,710 per year $14.28 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Associate’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	80,200
Job Outlook, 2010-20	52% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	41,700

What Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Do

Veterinary technologists and technicians perform medical tests under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to treat or to help veterinarians diagnose the illnesses and injuries of animals.

Work Environment

Veterinary technologists and technicians work in private clinics, laboratories, and animal hospitals. Their jobs may be physically or emotionally demanding. Many technologists and technicians may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.

How to Become a Veterinary Technologist or Technician

Veterinary technologists and technicians must complete a postsecondary program in veterinary technology. Technologists 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 must become registered, licensed, or certified, depending on the state.

Pay

The median annual wage of veterinary technologists and technicians was $29,710 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is expected to grow 52 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job opportunities are expected to be excellent, particularly in rural areas.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of veterinary technologists and technicians with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about veterinary technologists and technicians by contacting these additional resources.

What Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Do About this section

Veterinary technicians often analyze lab samples.

Veterinary technologists and technicians perform medical tests under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to treat or to help veterinarians diagnose the illnesses and injuries of animals. 

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
• Administer anesthesia to animals and monitor their responses
• Collect laboratory samples, such as blood, urine, or tissue, for testing
• Perform laboratory tests, such as urinalyses and blood counts
• Take and develop x rays
• Prepare animals and instruments for surgery
• Administer medications, vaccines, and treatments prescribed by a veterinarian
• Collect and record patients’ case histories

To provide superior animal care, veterinarians rely on the skills of veterinary technologists and technicians, who do many of the same tasks for a veterinarian that nurses would for a doctor. Despite differences in formal education and training, veterinary technologists and technicians carry out many similar tasks.

Many veterinary technologists and technicians work in private clinics, animal hospitals, and veterinary testing laboratories. They conduct a variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, including postoperative care, dental care, and specialized nursing care.

Veterinary technologists and technicians who work in research-related jobs do similar work. For example, they are responsible for making sure that animals are handled carefully and humanely. They commonly help veterinarians or scientists on research projects in areas such as biomedical research, disaster preparedness, and food safety.

Veterinary technologists and technicians most often work with small-animal practitioners who care for cats and dogs, but they may also do a variety of tasks with mice, rats, sheep, pigs, cattle, and birds.

Veterinary technologists and technicians can specialize in a particular discipline. Specialties include dental technology, anesthesia, emergency and critical care, and zoological medicine.

The differences between technologists and technicians are the following:

Veterinary technologists usually have a 4-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. Although some technologists work in private clinical practices, many work in more advanced research-related jobs, usually under the guidance of a scientist and sometimes a veterinarian. Working primarily in a laboratory setting, they may administer medications; prepare tissue samples for examination; or record information on an animal’s genealogy, weight, diet, food intake, and signs of pain.

Veterinary technicians usually have a 2-year associate’s degree in a veterinary technology program. Most work in private clinical practices under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian. Technicians may perform laboratory tests, such as a urinalysis, and help veterinarians conduct a variety of other diagnostic tests. Although some of their work is done in a laboratory setting, many technicians also talk with animal owners. They explain, for example, a pet’s condition or how to administer medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

Work Environment About this section

Veterinary technicians often advise owners how to care for their pets.

Veterinary technologists and technicians held about 80,200 jobs in 2010, 91 percent of which were in the veterinary services industry.

Veterinary technologists and technicians typically work in private clinics, laboratories, and animal hospitals. Some work in boarding kennels, animal shelters, rescue leagues, and zoos.

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

Veterinary technologists and technicians experience a rate of injuries and illnesses that is much higher than the national average. When working with scared or aggressive animals, they may be bitten, scratched, or kicked. Injuries may happen while the technologist or technician is holding, cleaning, or restraining an animal. 

Work Schedules

Many clinics and laboratories must be staffed 24 hours a day, so veterinary technologists and technicians may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.

How to Become a Veterinary Technologist or Technician About this section

Veterinary technicians may assist veterinarians with surgeries.

There are primarily two levels of education and training for entry into this occupation: a 4-year program for veterinary technologists and a 2-year program for veterinary technicians. Typically, both technologists and technicians must take a credentialing exam and must become registered, licensed, or certified, depending on the state. 

Education

Veterinary technologists and technicians must complete a postsecondary program in veterinary technology. In 2011, there were 191 veterinary technology programs accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Most of these programs offer a 2-year associate’s degree for veterinary technicians. Twenty-one colleges offer a 4-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. Nine schools offer distance learning. 

People interested in becoming a veterinary technologist or technician should take high school classes in biology, other sciences, and math.

Licenses and Certification

Although each state regulates veterinary technologists and technicians differently, most candidates must take a credentialing exam. Most states require the Veterinary Technician National Examination. Depending on the state, candidates must become certified, licensed, or registered to practice. 

For technologists seeking work in a research facility, the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) offers three levels of certification: assistant laboratory animal technician (ALAT), laboratory animal technician (LAT), and laboratory animal technologist (LATG). Although certification is not mandatory, workers at each level can show competency in animal husbandry, health and welfare, and facility administration and management to prospective employers. To become certified, candidates must have work experience in a laboratory animal facility and pass the AALAS examination. 

Important Qualities

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 details and be precise when recording information, doing diagnostic tests, and administering medication. They must monitor the behavior and condition of animals and be able to recognize any problems that arise. 

Interpersonal skills. Veterinary technologists and technicians spend a substantial amount of their time communicating with supervisors, animal owners, and other staff. In addition, a growing number of technicians counsel pet owners on animal behavior and nutrition.  

Manual dexterity. Dexterity is important for veterinary technologists and technicians because they must handle animals, medical instruments, and laboratory equipment with care. They also do intricate tasks, such as dental work, giving anesthesia, and taking x rays, which require a steady hand.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of veterinary technologists and technicians was $29,710 in May 2010. 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 $20,500, and the top 10 percent earned more than $44,030. 

Veterinary technologists and technicians working in research positions often earn more than those in other fields. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of veterinary technologists and technicians in May 2010 were as follows:

Many clinics and laboratories must be staffed 24 hours a day, so veterinary technologists and technicians may have to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is expected to grow 52 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. 

A growing pet population will require more veterinary technologists and technicians. In addition, many people consider their pets to be part of their family and are willing to pay more for pet care than in the past. Also, veterinary medicine has advanced considerably, and many of the veterinary services offered today are now comparable to health services for humans. 

As veterinarians perform more specialized tasks, clinics and animal hospitals are increasingly using veterinary technologists and technicians to provide more general care and to do more laboratory work. Furthermore, as the number of veterinary services grows, veterinarians will continue to prefer higher skilled veterinary technologists and technicians over veterinary assistants for more complex work. 

Continued support for public health, food and animal safety, and national disease control programs, as well as biomedical research on human health problems, also will contribute to demand for veterinary technologists. 

Job Prospects

Overall job opportunities for veterinary technologists and technicians are expected to be excellent, particularly in rural areas. The number of veterinary technology programs has been growing, but rapid employment growth means that the number of positions available will continue to outpace the number of new graduates. Workers leaving the occupation will also result in job openings.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information on careers in veterinary medicine and a listing of AVMA-accredited veterinary technology programs, visit  

American Veterinary Medical Association

For more information on becoming a veterinary technician or technologist, visit

National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America

For information on certification as a laboratory animal technician or technologist, visit  

American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

For information on the Veterinary Technician National Examination, visit:

American Association of Veterinary State Boards