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The differences between licensed veterinary technicians and registered 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 a registered veterinary technician. Additionally, a licensed veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,369, which is higher than the $40,204 average annual salary of a registered veterinary technician.
The top three skills for a licensed veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for a registered veterinary technician are PET, patients, and venipuncture.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,369 | $40,204 |
| Hourly rate | $19.41 | $19.33 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 29,983 | 23,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 77% |
| 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.
Registered veterinary technicians work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The technicians must control and prevent zoonotic diseases. They assist veterinarians in medical administration, surgeries, and other animal health treatment procedures. These technicians observe animals for behavioral and physical changes, perform lab tests and collect laboratory examples, and provide nursing care to animals. They must undergo training in any accredited veterinarian technician programs and must study topics such as veterinary anatomy and physiology, parasitology, and veterinary nursing.
Licensed veterinary technicians and registered veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,369 | $40,204 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $52,000 | Between $30,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | Neuralink IT Solutions |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed veterinary technician and a registered veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between licensed veterinary technicians' and registered veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 9.3% Female, 90.7% |
| 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% |