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The differences between licensed veterinary technicians and emergency 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 a licensed veterinary technician and an emergency veterinary technician. Additionally, a licensed veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,369, which is higher than the $38,689 average annual salary of an emergency veterinary technician.
The top three skills for a licensed veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for an emergency veterinary technician are patients, PET, and catheter.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,369 | $38,689 |
| Hourly rate | $19.41 | $18.60 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 29,983 | 109,185 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 veterinary technicians assist with treating animals by running blood tests, administering treatments or medications, among others. A typical degree program to be a veterinary technician runs around for almost two years. Being on call for intensive care, monitoring vitals, placing catheters, taking x-rays, cleaning wounds, and applying bandages or casts are just some of the responsibilities of an emergency veterinary technician. The skills needed to be an emergency veterinary technician include intensive knowledge of animal biology, animal husbandry, knowledge of animal behavior, documentation skills, clinical skills, analyzing information, use of medical technologies, and attention to detail.
Licensed veterinary technicians and emergency veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,369 | $38,689 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $52,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | Rohnert Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | Cape Cod Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a licensed veterinary technician and an emergency veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | New York University |
Here are the differences between licensed veterinary technicians' and emergency veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| 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% |