Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between emergency veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an emergency veterinarian, becoming a licensed veterinary technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an emergency veterinarian has an average salary of $94,518, which is higher than the $40,369 average annual salary of a licensed veterinary technician.
The top three skills for an emergency veterinarian include PET, patients and emergency medicine. The most important skills for a licensed veterinary technician are PET, patients, and anesthesia.
| Emergency Veterinarian | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $94,518 | $40,369 |
| Hourly rate | $45.44 | $19.41 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 34,931 | 29,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
An emergency veterinarian is responsible for providing quality care services for animals at veterinary clinics and hospitals. Emergency veterinarians diagnose the animal's condition and administer treatment plans and medications. They also coordinate with other veterinarians to claim the animal's initial medical records and history. An emergency veterinarian performs immediate surgery as needed and ensure the stability of the animals' vital signs, requiring them to have extensive knowledge of animal care of various species or area of interest.
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.
Emergency veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Emergency Veterinarian | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $94,518 | $40,369 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $188,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | National Veterinary Associates | Zoetis |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an emergency veterinarian and a licensed veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Emergency Veterinarian | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Veterinary Medicine | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between emergency veterinarians' and licensed veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Emergency Veterinarian | Licensed Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.9% Asian, 4.7% White, 83.5% 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 | 15% | 9% |