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The differences between registered veterinary technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a registered veterinary technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a registered veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,204, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a registered veterinary technician include PET, patients and venipuncture. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,204 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $19.33 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 23,036 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 32 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Registered veterinary technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,204 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salinas, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Neuralink IT Solutions | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a registered veterinary technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | - |
Here are the differences between registered veterinary technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Registered Veterinary Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.3% Female, 90.7% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 2% |