Do you need a degree to be a vet assistant?

No, you do not need a degree to be a vet assistant. Instead, a veterinary assistant certificate is usually all that is required to begin working as a vet assistant. A veterinary assistant certificate training program can be completed in as little as nine months and includes animal nursing fundamentals, animal handling, and laboratory procedures.

Does a vet assistant get paid well?

No, a vet assistant does not get paid well. The average pay for a vet assistant is $28,000 a year ($13.50 an hour). This can range anywhere from $20,000 a year ($10.02 an hour) to $38,000 a year ($18.27 an hour). Factors such as location and years of experience impact how much a vet assistant is paid.

How long do you have to go to school to be a vet?

You have to go to school for eight years to become a vet. This includes four years of undergrad and four years of DM in Veterinary Medicine. Types of four-year undergraduate degrees you can earn include:

How long does it take to become a veterinary assistant?

It takes between 3 to 12 months to become a veterinary assistant. Most places require vet assistants to have earned their Veterinary Assistant certificate. To become an AVA, prospective veterinary assistants must graduate from a 3-to-12-month NAVTA-approved veterinary assistant training program and then sit and pass the AVA examination.

Is being a vet assistant hard?

Yes, being a vet assistant is hard. Working as a vet assistant is sometimes stressful and physically demanding. Animals become ill and need care at all hours of the day or night, so vet assistants often work holidays, nights, and weekends. Assistants sometimes have to move large animals and hold them still for treatments.

What are the requirements to become a veterinary assistant?

The requirements to become a veterinary assistant are ultimately a desire to help animals and a willingness to follow directions. At the same time, many veterinary assistants have completed a veterinary assistant certificate program.

How To Become A VET Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a vet assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A VET assistant is responsible for performing all aspects of routine pet care. You will work with veterinarians and vet technicians, help with lab work, maintain kennels, clean and sterilize equipment. You are also responsible for bathing, exercising the animals, and restraining them during treatment and examinations. Most of the time, you will be involved with lab work, drawing blood, and collecting urine samples.

During treatment, the animals might need comfort; therefore, it's your job to comfort them during this period. Additionally, you will provide first aid to pets during emergencies and also stabilize them until the doctor takes over. Your job also includes administering medications to pets and also performing some clerical duties. You will often check in patients and request information, including vaccination records, and clean, disinfect and prepare medical equipment. Checking and tracking vitals during and after surgery is also part of your responsibility.

As a vet assistant, some skills required for the role include a passion for animals, a good sense of humor, compassion, and excellent customer service skills. You must also be a critical thinker with an ability to analyze data. The mean salary of a vet assistant is $28,000 yearly, and you need a bachelor's degree in medical assistant service, biology, or animal science for this role.

ScoreVET AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,687

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.2

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

0.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.14%

Asian 3.21%

Black or African American 2.68%

Hispanic or Latino 17.49%

Unknown 6.82%

White 69.66%

Gender

female 83.90%

male 16.10%

Age - 27

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 27

Stress Level

7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.6

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a vet assistant

Explore vet assistant education requirements

Most common vet assistant degrees

Bachelor's

43.5 %

Associate

24.4 %

High School Diploma

21.2 %

Start to develop specific vet assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
PET	33.81%
Patients	24.30%
Exam Rooms	11.92%
Patient Care	5.79%
Compassion	3.59%

Complete relevant vet assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New vet assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a vet assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real vet assistant resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed vet assistant usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed vet assistant in most of states. 30 states require vet assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	-	-	Licensed Veterinarian Technician
Kansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Veterinary Technicians
Kentucky	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Veterinary Technologist/Technician
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Veterinary Technician
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Veterinary Technician

Gain additional vet assistant certifications

Vet assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific vet assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for vet assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research vet assistant duties and responsibilities

Manage tech appointments, suture removal, bandage removal and placement, CPR and emergency care when need.
Provide care of hospitalize animals taking vital signs, administer medications and explaining discharge medications to pet owners.
Monitor multiple patients in ICU.
Assist in triage, gathering medical history and client education.

Prepare your vet assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your vet assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a vet assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable VET Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional VET Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your VET Assistant resume.