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The differences between registered veterinary technicians and laboratory animal 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 registered veterinary technician and a laboratory animal technician. Additionally, a registered veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,204, which is higher than the $30,382 average annual salary of a laboratory animal technician.
The top three skills for a registered veterinary technician include PET, patients and venipuncture. The most important skills for a laboratory animal technician are animal handling, animal husbandry, and research animals.
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Laboratory Animal Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,204 | $30,382 |
| Hourly rate | $19.33 | $14.61 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 23,036 | 63,768 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A laboratory animal technician is responsible for conducting animal research studies by observing and analyzing animal nature and conditions. Laboratory animal technicians maintain the safety and cleanliness of animal cages, supply them food and water, and administer medications as needed. They also take samples for laboratory examinations, monitor the adequacy of inventories, and sterilize tools and equipment. A laboratory animal technician writes finding reports, logs information on the database, and coordinates with other animal experts for study validations.
Registered veterinary technicians and laboratory animal technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Laboratory Animal Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,204 | $30,382 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $22,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salinas, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Neuralink IT Solutions | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a registered veterinary technician and a laboratory animal technician in terms of educational background:
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Laboratory Animal Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Biology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Ohio State University |
Here are the differences between registered veterinary technicians' and laboratory animal technicians' demographics:
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Laboratory Animal Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.3% Female, 90.7% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| 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% |