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The differences between veterinary technicians and vet assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a veterinary technician has an average salary of $38,441, which is higher than the $30,687 average annual salary of a vet assistant.
The top three skills for a veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for a vet assistant are PET, patients, and exam rooms.
| Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,441 | $30,687 |
| Hourly rate | $18.48 | $14.75 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 41,022 | 6,591 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 32 | 29 |
| Years of experience | 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.
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.
Veterinary technicians and vet assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,441 | $30,687 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $24,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute | Michigan State University |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a veterinary technician and a vet assistant in terms of educational background:
| Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Ohio State University |
Here are the differences between veterinary technicians' and vet assistants' demographics:
| Veterinary Technician | VET Assistant | |
| Average age | 32 | 29 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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, 17.5% Asian, 3.2% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |