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Vet Assistants Job Overview

Vet assistants help veterinary surgeons with animal healthcare. When sick animals are bought to the veterinarian, vet assistants conduct preliminary examination. They perform routine laboratory and clinical procedures. The work is then documented by making charts of the treatment procedures followed, lab tests performed and the general observations about the physical condition of the animals. Vet assistants also maintain inventories of medicines, equipment and supplies, answer phone calls and prepare bills for customers. They may work in research facilities where they are required to administer medicines orally or topically, prepare samples for laboratory examinations and record information on an animal’s genealogy, diet, weight, medication, food intake and clinical signs of pain and distress.

Vet Assistants Schools and Degrees

Community college programs accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association offer a number of 2-year associate’s degrees in veterinary technology. These programs allow students to use laboratory settings with live animals. A large number of four-year colleges and universities also offer veterinary technology programs that teach about animal nutrition, veterinary anatomy, laboratory techniques, animal husbandry and large and small animal care. In 2006, over 100 veterinary technology programs in more than 40 States were accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Graduation from any such accredited veterinary technology program makes one eligible to take the credential exam in any US State.

Job Requirements

All States in the US require vet assistants to pass a credentialing exam before beginning in this profession. Passing the state exam is a proof of the vet assistant’s knowledge and proficiency in the field. It also allows one to find employment in a veterinary clinic or hospital. Employers generally prefer candidates with the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science certification for positions in research facilities.

Communication skills are very important for veterinary assistants as they often deal with pet owners. Since they mostly work in teams, they should possess good interpersonal skills. To excel in this occupation, it is extremely important to pay attention to detail.

Nature of Work

Vet assistants perform various medical tests for the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and diseases in animals. Their work includes setting up and cleaning examination and treatment rooms, taking care of the animals during treatments or shots and teaching pet owners about medications, illnesses and general care. Vet assistants also perform lab tests like urinalysis and blood counts, assist with dental prophylaxis and prepare tissue and blood samples. They also take x-rays, provide emergency first-aid, prepare animals for surgery and help veterinarians during operations.

Vet Assistants Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, vet assistants held about 71,000 jobs in the .US. The employment rates are expected to increase by 41% in the next ten years. Employment is highest in the following industries:

• Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
• Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Scientific Research and Development Services
• Social Advocacy Organizations

The mean hourly wage for vet assistants in the US is about $13.90, while the mean annual wages are around $28,920.

Job Numbers and Growth

Vet assistants nationally number 75,000. The unemployment level for workers is low, compared to other occupations. About 4% of employees were unemployed recently.

Area Job Conditions

Vet assistants are relatively common in Blacksburg (Virginia), Raleigh (North Carolina), and Billings (Montana). They are rarer in Charlotte (North Carolina), Providence (Rhode Island), and Denver (Colorado).

Workers are paid highest in New Haven (Connecticut), Boston (Massachusetts), and Bethesda (Maryland), and lowest in Las Cruces (New Mexico), Shreveport (Louisiana), and Midland (Texas).

Training and Education

Employees are generally expected to have short-term on-the-job training. About 10% of vet assistants hold a bachelor's degree or better. Currently 59% of workers have some college education, though not a degree. About 31% of employees were able to get their jobs with a high-school diploma. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

About 23% of vet assistants work less than full-time. In 3% of the cases, workers work for themselves.

Vet Assistants by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Auburn	$23,000	80	+358%
Birmingham	$25,000	320	+43%
Decatur	$23,000	40	+86%
Huntsville	$18,000	150	+63%
Mobile	$20,000	170	+120%
Montgomery	$21,000	160	+124%
Tuscaloosa	$22,000	30	-21%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$29,000	90	+23%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Kingman	$18,000	40	+113%
Phoenix	$21,000	410	-49%
Tucson	$19,000	230	+49%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$23,000	130	+45%
Fort Smith	$20,000	100	+89%
Hot Springs	$22,000	40	+187%
Jonesboro	$23,000	40	+116%
Little Rock	$20,000	220	+41%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$22,000	150	+29%
Chico	$25,000	110	+284%
Fresno	$26,000	130	-10%
Los Angeles	$26,000	1,050	-44%
Merced	$22,000	40	+74%
Oakland	$27,000	430	-6%
Oxnard	$24,000	120	-10%
Riverside	$21,000	480	-13%
Sacramento	$28,000	520	+31%
Salinas	$27,000	90	+29%
San Diego	$26,000	1,190	+98%
San Francisco	$36,000	300	-34%
Santa Ana	$24,000	690	+4%
Santa Barbara	$31,000	120	+63%
Santa Cruz	$32,000	90	+147%
Santa Rosa	$29,000	250	+228%
Stockton	$29,000	60	-35%
Vallejo	$21,000	120	+133%
Visalia	$26,000	60	+3%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$22,000	70	+5%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Hartford	$26,000	330	+26%
New Haven	$40,000	220	+80%
Norwich	$27,000	50	-5%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Wilmington	$22,000	150	+2%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$25,000	1,970	+76%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$23,000	130	+52%
Deltona	$22,000	40	-40%
Fort Lauderdale	$26,000	240	-25%
Gainesville	$18,000	110	+111%
Jacksonville	$22,000	300	+10%
Lakeland	$20,000	80	-4%
Miami	$23,000	220	-51%
Ocala	$19,000	140	+280%
Orlando	$21,000	450	-3%
Palm Bay	$24,000	140	+61%
Pensacola	$22,000	100	+54%
Port St Lucie	$25,000	70	+37%
Tallahassee	$18,000	170	+141%
Tampa	$21,000	1,070	+104%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Athens	$24,000	110	+276%
Atlanta	$24,000	970	-9%
Augusta	$19,000	50	-45%
Columbus	$19,000	60	+27%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$20,000	200	+0%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Coeur Dalene	$19,000	50	+147%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$24,000	60	+107%
Champaign	$22,000	60	+38%
Chicago	$25,000	1,210	-30%
Decatur	$22,000	30	+67%
Peoria	$20,000	130	+74%
Rockford	$25,000	70	+15%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$23,000	40	+171%
Bloomington	$22,000	70	+144%
Evansville	$21,000	70	-7%
Indianapolis	$26,000	750	+83%
Lafayette	$24,000	110	+251%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$27,000	40	+177%
Davenport	$24,000	120	+46%
Dubuque	$23,000	40	+86%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawrence	$20,000	40	+135%
Topeka	$29,000	120	+154%
Wichita	$23,000	160	+24%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Louisville	$21,000	310	+12%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$19,000	40	+52%
Lafayette	$25,000	140	+125%
Lake Charles	$22,000	40	+8%
Monroe	$18,000	30	-6%
New Orleans	$21,000	410	+70%
Shreveport	$23,000	120	+52%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$27,000	870	+45%
Bethesda	$33,000	490	+86%
Hagerstown	$22,000	30	-27%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$32,000	60	+42%
Boston	$34,000	950	+19%
Haverhill	$23,000	100	+191%
Lawrence	$23,000	40	+65%
New Bedford	$31,000	40	+51%
Springfield	$21,000	110	-18%
Worcester	$28,000	170	+51%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$23,000	120	+64%
Detroit	$26,000	500	+64%
Flint	$20,000	60	+7%
Grand Rapids	$23,000	90	-47%
Jackson	$19,000	30	+55%
Kalamazoo	$22,000	70	+19%
Lansing	$19,000	150	+71%
Niles	$21,000	30	+28%
Warren	$23,000	610	+23%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$24,000	70	+25%
Minneapolis	$24,000	760	-7%
Rochester	$33,000	60	+37%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$20,000	60	+31%
Hattiesburg	$19,000	60	+158%
Jackson	$20,000	160	+41%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Jefferson City	$20,000	80	+160%
Joplin	$20,000	60	+82%
Kansas City	$21,000	590	+27%
Springfield	$17,000	90	+7%
St Louis	$21,000	1,080	+76%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$22,000	120	+240%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Omaha	$26,000	120	-44%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Las Vegas	$22,000	470	+21%
Reno	$24,000	160	+90%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$20,000	50	+13%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$23,000	50	-21%
Camden	$23,000	240	+1%
Edison	$24,000	400	-15%
Newark	$29,000	380	-17%
Trenton	$28,000	90	-11%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$30,000	310	+78%
Las Cruces	$19,000	50	+91%
Santa Fe	$26,000	70	+176%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$23,000	270	+32%
Binghamton	$21,000	80	+66%
Buffalo	$22,000	230	-9%
Kingston	$23,000	30	+22%
Nassau	$29,000	470	-19%
New York	$31,000	790	-67%
Poughkeepsie	$26,000	210	+91%
Rochester	$26,000	170	-26%
Syracuse	$29,000	80	-43%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$24,000	220	+182%
Durham	$30,000	250	+102%
Greensboro	$20,000	130	-19%
Raleigh	$23,000	770	+228%
Wilmington	$21,000	50	-16%
Winston Salem	$22,000	190	+103%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$22,000	270	+86%
Cincinnati	$22,000	720	+55%
Cleveland	$21,000	590	+26%
Dayton	$20,000	180	+4%
Toledo	$19,000	140	+6%
Youngstown	$22,000	80	-21%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Oklahoma City	$33,000	170	-35%
Tulsa	$24,000	490	+151%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Medford	$24,000	70	+117%
Portland	$24,000	800	+71%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$22,000	190	+21%
Erie	$21,000	90	+62%
Harrisburg	$20,000	170	+18%
Lancaster	$22,000	130	+24%
Lebanon	$25,000	50	+178%
Philadelphia	$29,000	1,130	+29%
Pittsburgh	$26,000	470	-11%
Reading	$21,000	70	-4%
Scranton	$22,000	110	-6%
State College	$33,000	60	+134%
York	$20,000	90	+16%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$24,000	40	+75%
Greenville	$22,000	230	+71%
Myrtle Beach	$26,000	40	-14%
Spartanburg	$20,000	60	+21%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Sioux Falls	$19,000	50	-17%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$20,000	170	+68%
Johnson City	$19,000	60	+101%
Kingsport	$22,000	90	+72%
Memphis	$22,000	200	-29%
Morristown	$18,000	40	+121%
Nashville	$21,000	460	+36%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Amarillo	$23,000	80	+76%
Austin	$23,000	450	+25%
Beaumont	$22,000	140	+98%
College Station	$23,000	160	+310%
Corpus Christi	$20,000	80	+2%
Dallas	$25,000	1,200	+25%
El Paso	$25,000	160	+31%
Fort Worth	$22,000	520	+31%
Houston	$24,000	1,290	+7%
Mcallen	$22,000	30	-71%
San Antonio	$24,000	680	+70%
Tyler	$19,000	30	-21%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$18,000	30	+59%
Provo	$18,000	120	+60%
Salt Lake City	$18,000	110	-60%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$25,000	50	+4%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$29,000	110	+343%
Charlottesville	$24,000	110	+203%
Lynchburg	$19,000	150	+257%
Richmond	$25,000	750	+167%
Roanoke	$20,000	190	+179%
Virginia Beach	$20,000	610	+76%
Winchester	$23,000	90	+353%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$26,000	100	+227%
Bremerton	$24,000	90	+159%
Kennewick	$23,000	50	+17%
Olympia	$23,000	100	+138%
Seattle	$25,000	720	+12%
Spokane	$23,000	200	+120%
Tacoma	$22,000	130	+10%
Yakima	$24,000	60	+71%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$20,000	60	-5%
Huntington	$20,000	100	+105%
Wheeling	$18,000	50	+88%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$24,000	50	+1%
Janesville	$24,000	60	+132%
Madison	$27,000	150	-2%
Milwaukee	$22,000	340	-11%
Oshkosh	$21,000	40	+8%
Racine	$27,000	80	+159%