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The differences between licensed veterinary technicians and vet assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a licensed veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,369, which is higher than the $30,687 average annual salary of a vet assistant.
The top three skills for a licensed veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for a vet assistant are PET, patients, and exam rooms.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $40,369 | $30,687 |
| Hourly rate | $19.41 | $14.75 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 29,983 | 6,591 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 32 | 29 |
| Years of experience | 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.
VET Assistants are in-charge of taking care of the well-being of animals in Veterinary clinics and hospitals. Most of the tasks involved are feeding, bathing, weighing, and providing overall nursing care of animals on a routine and sometimes daily basis. VET is short for Veterinary, and as the job title implies, one must also provide assistance to Veterinarians, Veterinary Technologists, or Animal Scientists during Procedures and even Surgeries. A VET Assistant is expected to be equipped with good communication skills and compassion towards animals, but above all, one must also have emotional strength as there are cases which might involve abuse and even euthanasia.
Licensed veterinary technicians and vet assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Average salary | $40,369 | $30,687 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $52,000 | Between $24,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | Michigan State University |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a licensed veterinary technician and a vet assistant in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | Ohio State University |
Here are the differences between licensed veterinary technicians' and vet assistants' demographics:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Average age | 32 | 29 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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, 17.5% Asian, 3.2% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |