Career
Veterinary technologists and technicians
Help veterinarians care for animals.
$47,380
Median pay
+9.4%
Job growth, 2025–35
13,400
Openings a year
Associate's degree
Typical education
2 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then ideas & analysis?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
2 years of education after high school (associate's degree), for a median of $47,380 a year and 13,400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary AssistantCIP 01.8301
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians, OtherCIP 01.8399
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,150 · +9.1%
- Surgical Assistants$66,800 · +6.1%
- Medical Assistants$45,690 · +12.9%
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310 · +3.7%
- Surgical Technologists$64,650 · +5.0%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.