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Veterinary Hospitals and Clinics
Banfield Pet Hospital, VCA Animal Hospitals, Thrive Pet Healthcare
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Veterinary technologists and technicians help veterinarians treat sick and injured animals by setting up anesthesia, giving medications, monitoring recovery, and handling emergency care and dental cleanings. The work is hands-on and varied, but the tradeoff is that it is physically demanding, emotionally stressful, and usually done under a veterinarian's direction rather than with much independent control.
Also known as Veterinary TechnicianVet TechRegistered Veterinary TechnicianLicensed Veterinary TechnicianCredentialed Veterinary Technician
Median Salary
$45,980
Mean $46,280
U.S. Workforce
~131K
14.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+9.1%
134.2K to 146.4K
Entry Education
Associate's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~131K workers, with a median annual pay of $45,980 and roughly 14.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 134.2 K in 2024 to 146.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Veterinary Assistant and can progress toward Veterinary Practice Manager. High-value skills usually include Veterinary Anesthesia Monitoring, Animal Restraint and Safe Handling, and Veterinary Dental Cleanings and Prophylaxis, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Reading Comprehension.
Core Responsibilities
- Set up animals for surgery, watch their response to anesthesia, and help adjust care when they react differently than expected.
- Jump in during urgent situations with basic first aid or lifesaving help until the veterinarian can take over.
- Bathe animals, trim nails, and brush coats to keep patients clean and easier to examine.
- Check on animals after surgery, watching for pain, bleeding, or unusual behavior during recovery.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Set up animals for surgery, watch their response to anesthesia, and help adjust care when they react differently than expected.
02 Jump in during urgent situations with basic first aid or lifesaving help until the veterinarian can take over.
03 Bathe animals, trim nails, and brush coats to keep patients clean and easier to examine.
04 Check on animals after surgery, watching for pain, bleeding, or unusual behavior during recovery.
05 Prepare prescriptions, give medications, and keep controlled-drug records organized and up to date.
06 Help with dental cleanings and other clinic procedures such as catheter placement, enemas, or tube feedings.
Industries That Hire
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Emergency and Specialty Animal Hospitals
BluePearl Pet Hospital, MedVet, Ethos Veterinary Health
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Research Laboratories and Diagnostic Services
Charles River Laboratories, IDEXX Laboratories, Labcorp
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Animal Shelters and Welfare Organizations
ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, Humane Society of the United States
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Zoos, Aquariums, and Wildlife Care
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The field is hiring steadily, with 14.3K annual openings and projected growth of 9.1% from 2024 to 2034.
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You can get in without prior work experience and without formal on-the-job training, which makes the path more accessible than many other healthcare jobs.
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The work is varied: one day can include anesthesia, dental cleanings, medication prep, and post-surgery monitoring.
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The pay is decent for a role that usually starts with an associate's degree, at about $45.98K median and $46.28K mean.
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There are multiple work settings, from general practices to emergency hospitals and research labs, so you can specialize without leaving animal care.
Challenges
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The pay is still modest for medical work, and the median of $45.98K leaves little room if you stay in the same job title.
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The job is physically demanding and can involve lifting animals, restraining frightened pets, and cleaning up messes all shift.
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It can be emotionally hard because you may help with emergencies, recovery after surgery, and animals in serious pain.
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A lot of the highest-risk work happens under a veterinarian's supervision, so the role has a built-in ceiling unless you move into management or get more credentials.
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Training standards are inconsistent: 41.25% of workers report only a high school diploma, while BLS says an associate's degree is the typical entry, so expectations can vary a lot by clinic and state.
Career Progression
Veterinary Assistant
0-2 years
$30K-$36K
Learns basic animal handling, cleaning, and prep work while supporting licensed staff during appointments and procedures.
Veterinary Technician
2-5 years
$37K-$44K
Takes on more direct patient care, records, medication support, and prep for surgery or diagnostics.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$45K-$52K
Handles anesthesia support, recovery monitoring, dental cleanings, and emergency care under a veterinarian's direction.
Senior Veterinary Technician
10-15 years
$53K-$62K
Leads more complex cases, coaches newer staff, and manages higher-risk procedures and clinic workflows.
Veterinary Practice Manager
15+ years
$63K-$78K
Focuses more on staffing, scheduling, inventory, and client flow than direct animal care.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The most common entry point, held by 41.25% of workers in this role, especially in clinics that train employees after they are hired.
Associate's degree in veterinary technology
BLS says this is the typical entry route, and 26.35% of workers report this level, which is the clearest path to credentialed technician work.
Postsecondary certificate in veterinary assisting or veterinary technology
A shorter certificate program can get you into support roles or some technician jobs; 14.63% of workers report this level.
State licensure or certification plus clinic experience
In states that license or certify vet techs, employers may combine a formal credential with hands-on experience even when the education path is less standard.
Key Skills
Technical
Veterinary Anesthesia Monitoring 74%
Animal Restraint and Safe Handling 73%
Veterinary Dental Cleanings and Prophylaxis 72%
Medication Dispensing and Controlled Substance Logs 72%
IV Catheters, Fluid Therapy & Sample Collection 70%
Veterinary EHR Documentation (AVImark, ezyVet & Cornerstone) 69%
Anesthesia Machines, Pulse Oximeters & Capnography 68%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSpeakingMonitoringWriting Job Outlook and Trends
+9.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
14.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 134.2K to 146.4 K over the next decade, representing 9.1% growth. Around 14.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.