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The differences between animal technicians and licensed veterinary technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an animal technician and a licensed veterinary technician. Additionally, a licensed veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,369, which is higher than the $31,378 average annual salary of an animal technician.
The top three skills for an animal technician include animal handling, autoclaves and euthanasia. The most important skills for a licensed veterinary technician are PET, patients, and anesthesia.
| Animal Technician | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $31,378 | $40,369 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $19.41 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 39,917 | 29,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An animal technician is responsible for ensuring the animals' welfare under the supervision and guidance of a licensed veterinarian. Animal technicians maintain an organized record of animal information, assisting in medical surgeries and procedures, administering medications, collecting laboratory samples, and sending examination reports to the animal owners. They also keep the cages clean, inspecting the clinic's tools and equipment, and sterilizing laboratory materials to avoid contamination. An animal technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in responding to the owners' inquiries and concerns and monitoring the animals' conditions.
A licensed veterinary technician serves as the assistant of the veterinarian who is responsible for doing clinical work inside a clinic or a veterinary hospital. They monitor and observe the current health situation of an animal and also give them first aid when needed. They are also tasked to collect specimens and conduct different laboratory tests, then give it to the veterinarian to determine the pet's health condition. Vet techs can also perform vaccination or prepare sick animals for tests or surgery.
Animal technicians and licensed veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animal Technician | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $31,378 | $40,369 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $51,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Harvard University | Zoetis |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an animal technician and a licensed veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Animal Technician | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Ohio State University | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between animal technicians' and licensed veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Animal Technician | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |