Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between veterinary technicians and veterinarians 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 technician, becoming a veterinarian takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a veterinarian has an average salary of $109,524, 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 veterinarian are PET, customer service, and diagnostic tests.
| Veterinary Technician | Veterinarian | |
| Yearly salary | $38,441 | $109,524 |
| Hourly rate | $18.48 | $52.66 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 41,022 | 13,255 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Veterinarians are responsible for diagnosing the injuries and illnesses of animals through a variety of procedures. Veterinarians often perform vaccinations to protect animals from diseases, but they can also be involved with an animal's dental health as well. Some other duties include prescribing medication, performing surgical procedures, and dressing wounds. Veterinarians are concerned with all aspects of an animal's well-being, which inclues emergency procedures as well as long-term preventative healthcare. Veterinarians are also known as "vets," and most conduct their work in private clinics.
Veterinary technicians and veterinarians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Veterinary Technician | Veterinarian | |
| Average salary | $38,441 | $109,524 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $58,000 And $205,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute | Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a veterinary technician and a veterinarian in terms of educational background:
| Veterinary Technician | Veterinarian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Veterinary Medicine |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between veterinary technicians' and veterinarians' demographics:
| Veterinary Technician | Veterinarian | |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% | Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9% |
| 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, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.1% Asian, 4.8% White, 83.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 15% |