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The differences between vet assistants and kennel assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a vet assistant has an average salary of $30,687, which is higher than the $26,180 average annual salary of a kennel assistant.
The top three skills for a vet assistant include PET, patients and exam rooms. The most important skills for a kennel assistant are PET, patients, and animal hospital.
| VET Assistant | Kennel Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,687 | $26,180 |
| Hourly rate | $14.75 | $12.59 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 6,591 | 111,321 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 29 | 29 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
VET Assistants are in-charge of taking care of the well-being of animals in Veterinary clinics and hospitals. Most of the tasks involved are feeding, bathing, weighing, and providing overall nursing care of animals on a routine and sometimes daily basis. VET is short for Veterinary, and as the job title implies, one must also provide assistance to Veterinarians, Veterinary Technologists, or Animal Scientists during Procedures and even Surgeries. A VET Assistant is expected to be equipped with good communication skills and compassion towards animals, but above all, one must also have emotional strength as there are cases which might involve abuse and even euthanasia.
A kennel assistant is an individual who takes responsibility in the daily care of animals like cats and dogs at boarding kennels or veterinary clinics. Primarily, kennel assistants provide care to pets that includes feeding and grooming. They collect and maintain any information involving the pets. It is their job to administer pet's medications under the supervision of vet technicians or veterinarians. The skills necessary for this job include patience, customer service, animal care, teamwork, and communication.
Vet assistants and kennel assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| VET Assistant | Kennel Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,687 | $26,180 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $20,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Los Gatos, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Michigan State University | Target |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a vet assistant and a kennel assistant in terms of educational background:
| VET Assistant | Kennel Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Ohio State University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between vet assistants' and kennel assistants' demographics:
| VET Assistant | Kennel Assistant | |
| Average age | 29 | 29 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 19.3% Female, 80.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.2% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 3.2% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |