Assist veterinarians by running lab tests, taking X-rays, and providing nursing care to animals.
You may also see this posted as: Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT), Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), Veterinary Technician (Vet Tech), Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech), Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician (Internal Medicine Vet Tech).
Veterinary clinics and hospitals; hands-on with animals, standing.
Full-time and part-time; nights, weekends, and holidays.
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
O*NET job zone 3 of 5
Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 1.2% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Associate degree
Training path: Associate degree + credential.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
Most states require credentialing by exam after an accredited program.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
The animal-medicine job that needs 2 years, not 8.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-2056. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.