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The differences between licensed veterinary technicians and veterinary nurses 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 veterinary nurse. Additionally, a licensed veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,369, which is higher than the $34,511 average annual salary of a veterinary nurse.
The top three skills for a licensed veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for a veterinary nurse are patients, patient care, and PET.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Veterinary Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $40,369 | $34,511 |
| Hourly rate | $19.41 | $16.59 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 29,983 | 17,000 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Licensed veterinary technicians and veterinary nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Veterinary Nurse | |
| Average salary | $40,369 | $34,511 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | CVS Health |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed veterinary technician and a veterinary nurse in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Veterinary Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | University of Florida |
Here are the differences between licensed veterinary technicians' and veterinary nurses' demographics:
| Licensed Veterinary Technician | Veterinary Nurse | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2% |
| 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% |