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The differences between animal technicians and surgery 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 surgery technician. Additionally, a surgery technician has an average salary of $41,646, 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 surgery technician are patients, patient care, and surgical procedures.
| Animal Technician | Surgery Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $31,378 | $41,646 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $20.02 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 39,917 | 83,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| 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 surgery technician plays a vital role in the success of medical surgeries. They are primarily in charge of performing essential support tasks such as sanitizing and preparing operating rooms, setting-up equipment, sterilizing instruments, and ensuring that supplies are accurate and adequate. They also prepare patients before surgeries, assist surgeons by handing out supplies or tools, and participate in transporting the patients from one room to another. Moreover, they must maintain an active communication line with nurses and surgeons, coordinating every step of the way.
Animal technicians and surgery technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Animal Technician | Surgery Technician | |
| Average salary | $31,378 | $41,646 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $51,000 | Between $31,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Harvard University | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an animal technician and a surgery technician in terms of educational background:
| Animal Technician | Surgery Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Ohio State University | Emory University |
Here are the differences between animal technicians' and surgery technicians' demographics:
| Animal Technician | Surgery Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7% |
| 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% |