---
title: "Vet Tech: How to Become a Veterinary Technician"
description: "How to become a vet tech: AVMA-accredited programs, the VTNE exam, state credentials, daily work and May 2025 BLS median pay."
url: https://careerdirecting.com/careers/vet-tech/
updated: 2026-10-09
site: CareerDirecting
---

Healthcare · Vet tech

# Vet tech Nursing care for animals.

Animal care career profile

Veterinary technicians are the nurses of the animal world. They take X-rays, run lab tests, assist in surgery and comfort scared pets and owners. It is a two-year degree path for people who love animals and can handle the hard days.

In short

Most vet techs complete a two-year associate degree from an AVMA-accredited program and pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE); most states then credential them. Veterinary technologists and technicians earned a median of $47,380 in May 2025, and BLS projects 9.4% growth through 2035.

**Job numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics** Updated October 9, 2026. Pay figures are national medians and are not a promise of what you will earn.

| Median pay | $47,380 a year, about $22.78 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Typical way in | Associate degree |
| Jobs in the U.S. | About 131,400 (2025) |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | Projected growth of 9.4% |
| Openings each year | About 13,400 on average, including replacements |
| National exam | Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) |
| Where they work | Animal hospitals and clinics, labs, shelters |

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and May 2025 wages, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm). National figures; pay where you live can be higher or lower, and starting pay is lower than the median.

## The real job

You restrain animals for exams, draw blood, run lab tests, take X-rays, monitor anesthesia and help with dental cleanings. You also comfort owners, sometimes during euthanasia. Bites and scratches come with the job.

## Is the pay worth it?

Pay is lower than many two-year healthcare jobs. People stay for the animals. Run the numbers with the [payback calculator](https://careerdirecting.com/career-quiz/training-payback-calculator/).

## Questions people ask

### How long does it take to become a vet tech?

About two years for an associate degree.

### What is the difference between a vet tech and a vet assistant?

Vet techs are credentialed and do more clinical tasks; assistants usually train on the job.

### Do vet techs make good money?

Pay is modest compared with human healthcare roles with similar training.

## Sources

- [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2 (occupational projections and worker characteristics)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Veterinary technologists and technicians](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-technologists-and-technicians.htm)

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