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The differences between veterinary technicians and registered veterinary technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a veterinary technician and a registered veterinary technician. Additionally, a registered veterinary technician has an average salary of $40,204, which is higher than the $38,441 average annual salary of a veterinary technician.
The top three skills for a veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for a registered veterinary technician are PET, patients, and venipuncture.
| Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,441 | $40,204 |
| Hourly rate | $18.48 | $19.33 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 41,022 | 23,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Veterinary Technician, also known as Vet Tech, specializes in performing laboratory tasks and providing immediate and necessary care to animals in a Hospital Clinic or Research Facility under the supervision of a Veterinarian. Moreover, a Veterinary Technician is in charge of administering medicines or treatments, gathering samples such as blood and urine for analysis, monitoring a patient's condition and learning its history, and conducting hygienic procedures such as dental and welfare. There also instances where a Veterinary Technician must communicate with pet owners, sharing extensive knowledge on how to take better care of them.
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.
Veterinary technicians and registered veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,441 | $40,204 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $30,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute | Neuralink IT Solutions |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a veterinary technician and a registered veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between veterinary technicians' and registered veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Veterinary Technician | Registered Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% | Male, 9.3% Female, 90.7% |
| 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, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |