The profession of a vet tech is considered one of the promising branches in medicine. With a sufficient number of professional skills, it provides for career growth and salary increases. Education in this field of veterinary requires not too much time according to other medical professions, but as a result, the applicant gets a job that brings him medium size of income and moral satisfaction from helping animals. Over time, a vet tech has the opportunity to get a job in a higher-paying veterinary clinic or to start his own business in the field of medical care of animals.
What does a Vet tech need to know to get a job?
Half the battle when looking for a job as a Vet tech is knowing what the employer wants from you. When passing a job interview, a representative of this profession puts forward certain requirements for his education. A Vet tech in the United States must be certified to treat animals of all kinds with health problems. To perform their duties well, they must have a sufficient amount of knowledge, as well as undergo clinical practice. A person with this profession should be able to provide both regular and emergency care under the guidance of a veterinarian. The necessary knowledge can be obtained as follows:
Finish high school or get a GED
Complete an accreditation program to earn a degree in veterinary technology or animal science (it will take from two to four years of study time)
Pass the National Veterinary Technician Exam (terms and requirements may vary due to definite state)
In addition, the employer will ask you questions about your work experience. To obtain it, a vet tech who only has graduated and has no experience, may receive practical training in a less well-paid clinic and later try to apply for a job in a more expensive veterinary clinic.
What are the duties of a vet tech?
Vet tech always works in tandem with a veterinarian. It performs a number of functions that facilitate the work of a veterinary specialist. His responsibilities include diagnostics of animals’ health state using special equipment, observation of the health of the patient, fixing the animals during the examinations, as well as assisting veterinary surgeons, dentists, and anesthesiologists. In addition, the vet tech prepares vaccines, manages the clinic’s equipment, and ensures that the clinic runs without any troubles. Also, such work involves communication with owners of animals and filling in various medical forms.
Vet tech salary in the USA
When looking for a job, a vet tech, who is only starting his career, always asks himself how much he can earn in the United States. According to salary.com, the average salary for a vet tech is $36,800 annually but can range from $25,662 to $50,020 How much a vet tech will receive depends on many factors. Some of them are the level of education, work experience, practical skills, certificates, the number of years of work in this field, and additional skills. You need to remember that certified vet tech salaries will be higher. In addition, earnings are affected by the state in which the veterinary clinic is located and the employer. Also to know your exact salary you need to choose the field in which the vet tech will work.
Vet tech salary between states: comparison table
| States | Vet tech salary annually, USD |
| Florida | 34, 590 |
| Ohio | 35, 650 |
| Texas | 31, 360 |
| Michigan | 36, 260 |
| Georgia | 33, 850 |
| Massachusetts | 44, 590 |
| New Jersey | 39, 230 |
| NC | 35, 470 |
| Arizona | 36, 180 |
| Indiana | 34, 510 |
| Illinois | 37, 200 |
How to increase Vet tech salary?
Most people, after graduating in a particular field, want to know what prospects for financial growth they will have if they get this or that position. Veterinary techs are no exception. There are ways in which it is possible to increase your wages in this profession. However, keep in mind that some of these methods will take some time to use.
Enhance your knowledge and skills with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology
Choose a highly paid direction in veterinary medicine (Anesthesiology, Nutrition, Birds (Avian Life))
Obtain additional certifications allowing you to work in more than one branch of veterinary medicine. This will also give you a possibility to get a certified vet tech salary
Compare salaries in different clinics which are situated in your area, or choose a higher paying region for living
Master modern technologies and constantly improve your skills by attending seminars and training
Reputation is just as important for a veterinary technician as it is for other areas of veterinary medicine. You can read more bout reputation by following these posts:
A salary directly depends on the feedback from the public and on the recommendations received earlier (more about this can be found here). The psychology of the employer is arranged in such a way that when hiring you, it is important for him to have a positive image of you as a specialist. This inspires confidence both among the clients of the veterinary clinic and among future colleagues.
For a good reputation, it is not enough to create a website about your skills or to talk about yourself as a specialist in highly specialized online veterinary forums. You can independently manage your reputation on the Internet to get a higher-paying and prestigious job. When choosing a specialist, clients who seek medical care for animals not only search the Internet for the contact details of the clinic but also read reviews about you as a veterinary technician. There is an opportunity to improve your reputation with the help of the PRNEWS.IO website.
Even without any feedback and information about your professional skills, you can correct this situation. By visiting the PRNEWS.IO website, you can get acquainted with a large catalog of various publications, where you can communicate directly with journalists and arrange an interview about your professional achievements for further publication in newspapers and magazines. The PRNEWS.IO service team can help create content about your experience and skills.
FAQ: vet tech salary
📍How to become a vet tech
To become a vet tech you need to finish high school or get a GED. Then you should complete an accreditation program to earn a degree in veterinary technology or animal science
📍How much does a vet tech make?
The average salary for this profession is $36,800 annually but can range from $25,662 to $50,020. It depends on the state, your professional skills, and years of practice in this field
📍How long does it take to become a vet tech?
Getting the education in this job will take you from two to four years depending on what field of veterinary science you will choose.
📍What does a vet tech do?
Vet tech always works in tandem with a veterinarian. His responsibilities include diagnostics of animals’ health states using special equipment, observation of the health of the patient, preparing vaccines, and managing the clinic’s equipment.
