How to hire a vet assistant

How to hire a vet assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step vet assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a vet assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new vet assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a vet assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The vet assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A vet assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, vet assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of vet assistants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of VET Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   VET Assistant	Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers look after animals in laboratories, animal hospitals, and clinics. They care for the animals by performing routine tasks under the supervision of scientists, veterinarians, and veterinary technologists and technicians.	$11-18
   Laboratory Animal Caretaker	A laboratory animal caretaker is in charge of monitoring and taking care of animals in a research facility or similar setting, ensuring to handle them properly and humanely. Their responsibilities include feeding the animals, examining them for any diseases or injuries, gathering and preparing samples, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas... Show more	$9-17
   Kennel Technician	Kennel technicians are employees who work in animal boarding houses, veterinary clinics, and shelters. Primarily, they take care of and maintain animals living in a kennel... Show more	$9-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Patients
   • Exam Rooms
   • Patient Care
   • Compassion
   • Customer Service
   • Anesthesia
   • Routine Laboratory Tests
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Catheter
   • Math
   • Animal Restraint
   • IV
   • Animal Handling

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Qualify to administer medications, perform blood draws, proper radiology techniques and all other aspects of a veterinary technician.
   • Provide exceptional veterinary care to companion animal patients, while professionally serving clients and pet owners.

   More vet assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your vet assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A vet assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a vet assistant in South Dakota may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level vet assistant usually earns less than a senior-level vet assistant. Additionally, a vet assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average vet assistant salary

   $14.75hourly

   $30,687 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level vet assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average vet assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$36,373	$17
   2	Oregon	$34,674	$17
   3	Washington	$33,015	$16
   4	New York	$32,000	$15
   5	Arizona	$31,522	$15
   6	Nevada	$30,738	$15
   7	Colorado	$28,601	$14
   8	New Hampshire	$28,508	$14
   9	Indiana	$28,042	$13
   10	North Carolina	$27,609	$13
   11	Illinois	$27,539	$13
   12	Texas	$27,244	$13
   13	Maryland	$26,784	$13
   14	Florida	$25,825	$12
   15	Georgia	$25,074	$12
   16	Kansas	$24,548	$12
   17	Ohio	$24,030	$12

   Average vet assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Michigan State University	$38,563	$18.54	2
   2	City of Jacksonville	$36,274	$17.44
   3	CVS Health	$34,914	$16.79
   4	Nestlé	$34,275	$16.48
   5	University of Wisconsin System	$34,193	$16.44	7
   6	Helen Woodward Animal Center	$33,811	$16.26
   7	San Diego Humane Society	$33,648	$16.18
   8	City of Springfield	$33,630	$16.17
   9	Acc Of Nyc	$33,621	$16.16
   10	Ethos Veterinary Health	$33,469	$16.09	153
   11	Medical Management International	$33,457	$16.09	364
   12	Kitsap Humane Society	$33,429	$16.07
   13	Charles River Center	$33,367	$16.04	3
   14	ASPCA	$32,673	$15.71	4
   15	Animal Humane Society	$32,583	$15.66	10
   16	The Animal Medical Center	$32,361	$15.56	16
   17	VCA Animal Hospitals	$32,190	$15.48	1,031
   18	McDonough District Hospital	$32,167	$15.46
   19	Banfield Pet Hospital	$31,893	$15.33	493
   20	noahshospitals	$31,712	$15.25	11

4. Writing a vet assistant job description

   A vet assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a vet assistant job description:

   Vet assistant job description example

   Registered Veterinary Technician or Senior Veterinary Assistant - Critical Care - $7,000 Hiring Bonus! - Campbell
   Who We Are:
   SAGE Veterinary Centers is a network of Emergency and Specialty hospitals that is committed to providing the highest standard of compassionate and collaborative veterinary care to every patient. We are looking for outstanding veterinary professionals who are interested in growing with us!
   In addition to offering great pay and benefits, we offer free monthly CE to all staff to encourage professional development, no matter where you are in your veterinary career.
   
   It's easy to find and follow your passion with SAGE Veterinary Centers. Work with stellar teams in our state-of-the-art hospital. If you can bring an excellent nursing foundation, we can teach you the specialty skills to excel.
   
   Who You Are:
   We are searching for responsible, dedicated, and friendly individuals with a passion for animals and professional growth. If you are an experienced RVT or Veterinary Assistant who is looking to take the next step in your career, we want to meet you! You will be challenged, you will learn, your compassion, skills, and ambition will be rewarded.
   
   Basic Required Qualifications:
   High school diploma
   2+ years of clinical experience in the veterinary industry
   Strong interpersonal skills to effectively interface with staff and clients using tact, patience, professional courtesy, and exhibit confidentiality and discretion where appropriate
   Consistent and reliable ability to perform mathematical calculations for drug doses, CRIs, client invoices and estimates, and other position-related calculations
   Maintain the California Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit (VACSP); must obtain within 60-days of hire or transfer into this role; (this requirement is waived if incumbent holds a valid CA-RVT license)
   Perks:
   $7,000 hiring bonus for new, full-time employees!
   Work Schedule:
   Full-Time
   Overnight, rotating Saturdays
   4/10 Schedule
   Monthly in-house RACE-approved courses and staff development opportunities for all employees!
   Get paid to learn! We'll cover eligible expenses for continuing education and coursework!
   We also pay YOU when you hit major career milestones, earn your RVT or your VTS and get a cash bonus!
   
   SAGE Veterinary Centers, a nationally recognized veterinary specialty hospital system, employs 600+ employees and veterinarians in a 24/7 setting. Our doctors and outstanding support staff have created a unique environment emphasizing high caliber, compassionate and ethical service to our patients, clients, and referring veterinarians, as well as a continued commitment to the growth and welfare of everyone involved in our organization.
   
   We offer competitive compensation and a benefits package with generous employer cost sharing that includes medical, dental, and vision, flexible spending, commuter benefits, and a 401(k)-retirement plan that can include company contributions of up to 3% each year. We also offer a generous educational assistance program that supports ongoing learning and development, three weeks of paid time off, plus paid holidays.
   
   It is the policy of SAGE Centers to afford equal opportunities for all qualified persons, regardless of their actual or perceived: race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and expression), age (40 and over), sexual orientation, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, and any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law (sometimes referred to, collectively, as “protected characteristics”).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right vet assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with vet assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit vet assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your vet assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality vet assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with vet assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new vet assistant

   Once you've selected the best vet assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new vet assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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