Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
SOC 29-2056 · 2024-2034
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.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
The job this trains for
- Typical pay in California
- $62,327per year
- Projected openings
- 13,220
- Projected change
- +14.8%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Bright Outlook — a U.S. Department of Labor designation
Rapid Growth
The Department's own designation, made from its national projections. It is not this project's assessment and it is not California's: every other figure on this page comes from California's projection, which can point the other way and for some occupations does.
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Rafael MD (Marin County) | $71,703 | 110 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $68,106 | 970 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $65,672 | 410 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $61,816 | 580 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $59,700 | 1,180 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA (Sonoma County) | $59,587 | 350 |
| Vallejo MSA (Solano County) | $59,176 | 150 |
| Chico MSA (Butte County) | $59,165 | 100 |
| Napa MSA (Napa County) | $58,857 | 30 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA (Santa Cruz County) | $58,631 | 180 |
| Salinas MSA (Monterey County) | $57,512 | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $53,506 | 1,710 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $51,749 | 460 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $51,180 | 1,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $51,037 | 3,170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County) | $50,691 | 220 |
| North Coast Region (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties) | $50,599 | 110 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) | $50,496 | 180 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne Counties) | $50,116 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $50,003 | 1,200 |
| Yuba City MSA (Sutter and Yuba Counties) | $49,952 | 50 |
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $49,828 | 170 |
| Stockton-Lodi MSA (San Joaquin County) | $49,818 | 210 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region (Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties) | $49,715 | 100 |
| Fresno MSA (Fresno and Madera Counties) | $48,986 | 260 |
| Redding MSA (Shasta County) | $47,815 | 80 |
| Merced MSA (Merced County) | $47,117 | 30 |
| Modesto MSA (Stanislaus County) | $47,117 | 180 |
| Visalia MSA (Tulare County) | $45,555 | 100 |
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| The job this trains for | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $47,432 | 33,120 | +15.2% |
| Medical Assistants | $50,918 | 175,850 | +22.7% |
| Surgical Technologists | $83,586 | 8,420 | +11.6% |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $80,358 | 4,280 | +15.5% |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | $47,678 | 19,450 | +15% |
Leads to — 13
Veterinary Assisting Certificate
San Joaquin Valley College - Central Administration Office · Visalia · $23,417
Veterinary Assistant (Hybrid)
Animal Behavior College, Inc. · Valencia · $5,630
Certified Veterinary Assistant
Butte County Regional Occupational Program · Chico · $3,605
Veterinary Assistant (Blended)
California Healing Arts College · Carson · $17,950
Veterinary Assistant
SDSU Global Campus · San Diego · $3,047
Veterinary Technology
Yuba College · Marysville · $3,680
Veterinary Assistant
American College of Healthcare and Technology · Riverside · $12,995
Veterinary Assisting Technology
Escondido Adult School · Escondido · $887
Veterinary Assisting Technology Pathway (2 classes)
Escondido Adult School · Escondido · $1,532
Animal Care Specialties
Escondido Adult School · Escondido · $821
Registered Veterinary Technician- BC
Kern Community College District · Bakersfield · $1,700
Veterinary Technician Certificate
Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa · $2,058
Veterinary Assistant
Southern California Regional Occupational Center · Torrance · $1,250