Students interested in veterinary medicine may wish to “test the waters” to see if a veterinary career is right for them without committing to becoming a veterinarian and fulfilling the relatively steep educational requirements associated with that career. For such students, it may make sense to become a veterinary assistant or veterinary technician. Show Both veterinary technicians and assistants work closely with veterinary doctors, and both may perform a host of similar tasks. Still, despite that, the two roles differ significantly in terms of requirements, responsibilities, and scope of practice. Therefore, a complete understanding of each career is essential for someone deciding between the two. Vet Tech vs. Vet Assistant: Similarities, Differences, and OverlapThe similarities between the roles and responsibilities of veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants are numerous, and because of that, people often confuse or conflate them. Individuals in both positions assist the veterinarian with their duties and carry out requests. However, neither the veterinary technician nor the veterinary assistant may diagnose illnesses or prescribe treatment or medication for animals. Furthermore, because veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants work directly with veterinarians, they may both find themselves working in a similar setting, such as a clinic or other animal hospital. Beyond this, however, the responsibilities and qualifications of these two roles are very different. To begin, veterinary assistants don’t require any specific licensure and may start working in this role after obtaining a high school diploma (or GED). By comparison, veterinary technicians must get an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a two- or four-year college or university and further pass a credentialing examination, as described by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMA). In general, veterinary assistants are more likely to perform clerical work and office support, help restrain animals during evaluation and answer client questions. A veterinary assistant will often deal as much with humans as with animals. On the other hand, a veterinary technician (vet tech) serves as an animal nurse caring for wounds, assisting with tasks related to patient surgery, filling and dispensing prescription medications, and performing lab work like blood work, urinalysis, and parasitic identification. Unlike veterinary assistants, vet techs often pursue additional specialties during their education, such as anesthesia, dental technology, emergency, and critical care, internal medicine, equine veterinary nursing, zoological medicine, and animal behavior. Overall, while more states require vet techs to have more education and hold licensure, vet techs have more responsibility for patient care than veterinary assistants. Vet Tech vs. Vet Assistant: Side-By-Side ComparisonIn the coming decade, both vet tech and vet assistant careers are poised for faster than average career growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows job growth for veterinary technologists and technicians is projected to grow by 15 percent between 2020 and 2030 (BLS 2021). The career outlook is equally strong for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, with a projected growth rate of 14 percent in the same period (BLS 2021). Both these numbers are higher than the national average (8 percent) for all careers over that same period. As a result, people considering an investment in education and training for a vet tech or a vet assistant career can be reasonably confident that future employment opportunities are likely in high demand in this field. A side-by-side comparison of the two professions is below to shed further light on the similarities and differences between veterinary assistants and veterinary technicians. Unless otherwise stated, the data in this table is sourced from the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the BLS.
Is a vet assistant better than a vet tech?Vet techs tend to perform more medical-related tasks than vet assistants. This includes taking blood samples, preparing vaccines and conducting lab tests. They also assist a veterinarian during surgery and sterilize equipment. A vet assistant performs duties that are less technical.
What makes more money vet tech or vet assistant?Vet tech vs. vet assistant pay differs depending on factors such as a worker's level of education and location. However, the BLS reported that the median annual salary for a veterinary technician was $36,260 in 2020. In the same year, veterinary assistants earned a median annual wage of $29,930.
Is being a vet assistant worth it?Becoming a vet tech is certainly worth it for individuals who want to work with animals and outside of an office environment. To date, the career is experiencing tremendous growth, with about 10,000 new jobs hitting the market each year. The field also provides plenty of job security and room for growth.
How much do vet assistants make VA?Avg Salary
Veterinary assistants earn an average yearly salary of $36,310. Wages typically start from $29,520 and go up to $45,460.
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