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The differences between animal care specialists and associate veterinarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an animal care specialist and an associate veterinarian. Additionally, an associate veterinarian has an average salary of $78,407, which is higher than the $59,197 average annual salary of an animal care specialist.
The top three skills for an animal care specialist include PET, animal handling and quality customer service. The most important skills for an associate veterinarian are PET, patients, and private practice.
| Animal Care Specialist | Associate Veterinarian | |
| Yearly salary | $59,197 | $78,407 |
| Hourly rate | $28.46 | $37.70 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 78,339 | 13,071 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Animal Care Specialists are responsible for caring for an animal's health and safety. Their duties include grooming and feeding animals, cleaning and disinfecting living quarters, perform a physical examination, administer medication and vaccinations, and deliver post-operative assistance. They also arrange for adoptions as well as participate in animal rescues. An animal care specialist working in laboratories may collect blood samples, conduct lab tests, and record results. They help answer phone calls and administer individual queries.
An associate veterinarian specializes in providing medical care and treatment to animals. One may work part-time or full-time at a veterinary clinic, together with practice owners, assistants, and veterinary technicians. An associate veterinarian's responsibilities primarily revolve around examining animals to diagnose any injuries or diseases, performing surgeries, and administering or prescribing medication. Other responsibilities include discussing the pets' condition to owners, ensuring to relay the necessary care and welfare advice needed during treatment, or after surgery. Moreover, an associate veterinarian may also euthanize, spay, neuter, and even perform dental procedures to animals.
Animal care specialists and associate veterinarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animal Care Specialist | Associate Veterinarian | |
| Average salary | $59,197 | $78,407 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $155,000 | Between $41,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Mexico |
| Best paying company | SPCA of Wake County | Providence Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between an animal care specialist and an associate veterinarian in terms of educational background:
| Animal Care Specialist | Associate Veterinarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biology | Veterinary Medicine |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between animal care specialists' and associate veterinarians' demographics:
| Animal Care Specialist | Associate Veterinarian | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.1% Asian, 4.8% White, 83.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 83.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |