Compare Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Assistant Programs

Compare Penn Foster Programs

Vet Tech Associate Degree vs Vet Assistant Career Diploma

Program-specific accreditation or approval

AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA)

National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA)

What they do

Vet techs often focus on more clinical work in veterinary clinics and hospitals, including assisting the vet with exams, taking laboratory tests and x-rays, assisting with surgery

Vet assistants often focus more on basic care and administrative duties, including basic wound treatment, restraining animals, feeding and bathing animals, setting up patient appointments

Externship requirement³

2 externships, 1 at the end of semester 2, 1 at the end of semester 4

1 100-hour externship at the end of the program

Certification exam prep

Helps prepare learners to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), which is required to become certified, registered, or licensed in many states³

Helps prepare learners to take the Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA) exam through NAVTA

Job outlook

19% growth over 10 years, 15,400 job openings per year¹

19% growth over 10 years, 25,800 job openings per year²

Average salary

$45,980/yr or $22.11/hr¹

$37,320/уг or $17.94/hr²

Time to complete

2-6 yrs for full degree⁵

12-16 months⁶

Sources:

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. "Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed July 30, 2025.

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. "Veterinary Technologists and Technicians." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed July 30, 2025.

³Students are responsible for locating and securing their externship placement.

⁴Licensing requirements for Veterinary Technicians vary greatly from state to state throughout the United States and may contain specific educational course approvals. You should contact your state's appropriate licensing bureau for the current requirements, or your state legislature for pending legislation. See the State Licensing page for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.

Statements found in the United States Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook are not a guarantee of any post-graduation salary, in part because the data used to create the Occupational Outlook Handbook includes workers from differing educational backgrounds, levels of experience, and geographic areas of the country.

⁵The estimated completion times per semester are based on completion times for learners enrolled in this program from November 2020 - October 2021, excluding withdrawals.

⁶The estimated completion times are based on completion times for learners enrolled in this program from May 2021 - April 2022, excluding withdrawals.