Veterinary Technologists and Technicians: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-2056 · O*NET 29-2056.00
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Veterinary Technologists and Technicians earn a median salary of $45,980 per year, ranking in the top 75% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +9.1% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do veterinary technologists and technicians earn?
The median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians is $45,980. That puts veterinary technologists and technicians at #607 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $32,120 |
| 25th percentile | $37,390 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $45,980 |
| 75th percentile | $50,960 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,880 |
| Median hourly wage | $22.11/hr |
Is veterinary technologists and technicians a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for veterinary technologists and technicians is +9.1%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 134K positions in 2024 to 146K in 2034, a net change of 12K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.
What do veterinary technologists and technicians do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working veterinary technologists and technicians, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
- 2.Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.
- 3.Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.
- 4.Observe the behavior and condition of animals and monitor their clinical symptoms.
- 5.Collect, prepare, and label samples for laboratory testing, culture, or microscopic examination.
- 6.Take and develop diagnostic radiographs, using x-ray equipment.
- 7.Maintain laboratory, research, or treatment records, as well as inventories of pharmaceuticals, equipment, or supplies.
- 8.Dress and suture wounds and apply splints or other protective devices.
Top skills for veterinary technologists and technicians
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become veterinary technologists and technician?
Entry into veterinary technologists and technicians typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, often coupled with state licensing exams or clinical hours. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about veterinary technologists and technicians
What is the median salary for veterinary technologists and technicians?
The median annual salary for veterinary technologists and technicians is $45,980 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is veterinary technologists and technicians a growing career?
BLS projects +9.1% growth for veterinary technologists and technicians from 2024 through 2034, which is fast growth projected to grow faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become veterinary technologists and technician?
The typical entry path requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to veterinary technologists and technicians?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.