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Veterinary nurse vs technician

The differences between veterinary nurses 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 veterinary nurse, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a technician has an average salary of $38,045, which is higher than the $34,511 average annual salary of a veterinary nurse.

The top three skills for a veterinary nurse include patients, patient care and PET. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Veterinary nurse vs technician overview

Veterinary NurseTechnician
Yearly salary$34,511$38,045
Hourly rate$16.59$18.29
Growth rate20%1%
Number of jobs17,000596,842
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age3240
Years of experience122

Veterinary nurse vs technician salary

Veterinary nurses and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Veterinary NurseTechnician
Average salary$34,511$38,045
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $44,000Between $24,000 And $58,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Jose, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaHawaii
Best paying companyCVS HealthMicrosoft
Best paying industryHealth CareTelecommunication

Differences between veterinary nurse and technician education

There are a few differences between a veterinary nurse and a technician in terms of educational background:

Veterinary NurseTechnician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Florida-

Veterinary nurse vs technician demographics

Here are the differences between veterinary nurses' and technicians' demographics:

Veterinary NurseTechnician
Average age3240
Gender ratioMale, 14.8% Female, 85.2%Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage9%2%

Differences between veterinary nurse and technician duties and responsibilities

Veterinary nurse example responsibilities.

  • Place intravenous catheters manage iv lines and medication administration.
  • Monitor anesthesia and first-assist in surgical procedures -assist doctors in filling prescriptions, communicating with pet owners, and monitoring patients.
  • Prepare oxygen, fluid and catheter equipment for routine use and emergency situations.
  • Administer vaccinations, medications, catheter placement, surgery assisting and monitoring.
  • Collect laboratory speciments and run routine tests.place IV catheters and monitor fluids.
  • Prepare surgical suites, monitor anesthesia, maintain and sterilize equipment, recording patient history, prescription and laboratory information.
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Technician example responsibilities.

  • Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
  • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
  • Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
  • Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.
  • Show more

Veterinary nurse vs technician skills

Common veterinary nurse skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • PET, 8%
  • Catheter, 6%
  • Medical Procedures, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
Common technician skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 6%
  • Diagnosis, 5%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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