How to Become a Veterinary Technologist
Run lab tests, assist in surgery, and provide nursing care for animals under a veterinarian's direction. It typically requires an associate degree, with a median salary of $47,380 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$47,380/yr
Middle half
$38,910 to $57,650
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
14,300
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Laboratory Testing
- Animal Handling
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Client Communication
Helpful certifications
- CVT/RVT/LVT (credentialed veterinary technician, varies by state)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
1/100
Work-life balance
68/100
Stress level
64/100
Related careers
- Psychiatrist$281,870 median
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Veterinary Technologist make?
The median pay for a Veterinary Technologist is $47,380 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $38,910 and $57,650 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Veterinary Technologist?
The usual entry point is an associate degree. Common majors are Veterinary Technology, Animal Science, and Biology.
Is Veterinary Technologist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 14,300 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Veterinary Technologist use most?
Common skills for this role are Laboratory Testing, Animal Handling, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, and Client Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).