Considering becoming a veterinary technician? You’re likely wondering one key question: how much do vet techs make money ? If you’re already working in the profession or just considering your options, it’s helpful to know what to expect financially.
Let’s explore what vet techs really do, how much they can make, and what affects their salaries in 2025.
What Is a Vet Tech and What Do They Do
Veterinary technicians — or vet techs — are the behind-the-scenes helpers in animal hospitals and clinics. They assist veterinarians in caring for animals of all shapes and sizes. They may not diagnose disease or perform surgery like a vet, but vet techs do a lot of important work to keep a clinic up and running.
Their responsibilities:
Draw samples for lab work
Conduct simple dental care
Take x-rays and develop them
Administer anesthesia
Helping to perform surgeries
Watching over patients as they recover
Taking down medical histories
Teaching owners about aftercare
In a nutshell, vet techs are like nurses in the veterinary community — always on the go, always in demand.
How much do vet techs make money in 2025?
Okay, let’s get to the money. How much do vet techs earn nowadays? In 2025, the average vet tech salary in the United States is between $38,000 and $48,000 per year.
All that being said, vet tech wages aren’t standardized. A whole bunch of things can boost your salary — or not. Where you reside to how long you’ve been employed, it’s all a factor.
.Let’s dissect
1. Level of Experience Plays a Huge Role
When salary is concerned, experience makes the difference. A vet tech straight out of school will probably not command the same amount as one who has been in the field for five or ten years.
Entry-level (0–2 years): Approximately $30,000 to $35,000 a year
Mid-career (3–5 years): About $36,000 to $44,000 a year
Experienced (6+ years): Between $45,000 and $55,000 or even higher
Veterinary technicians with more responsibility or who become leaders will also earn higher than average.
2. Where You Work Makes a Big Difference
Where you are geographically can contribute significantly to how much you earn. Vet techs in large cities or states with a higher cost of living tend to make more money.
Some examples of regional average salaries are:
California: $50,000 – $60,000
Texas: $40,000 – $45,000
Florida: $38,000 – $43,000
New York: $48,000 – $55,000
Midwestern states such as Iowa or Nebraska: $32,000 – $38,000
Urban cities with a high need for veterinary care tend to pay more, but they also have higher cost-of-living expenses — so it’s a trade-off.
3. Type of Employer Can Influence Your Salary
Not all vet tech positions are equal. The kind of organization you work for can significantly impact salary.
Private Veterinary Clinics: $35,000 – $45,000
Animal Hospitals: $40,000 – $50,000
Emergency & Specialty Clinics: $45,000 – $60,000
Research Facilities or Universities: $50,000 or more
Zoos or Wildlife Centers: Often lower pay, around $30,000 – $40,000, but unique work
Working in emergency or overnight shifts can also earn you higher pay due to the nature of the work and the less desirable hours.
4. Education and Certifications Pay Off
Most vet techs have a two-year associate degree in vet tech. But taking it beyond the basics can lead to opportunity — and a bigger paycheck.
Getting certified as a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) or obtaining a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) certification can add substantially to your pay. Specialties such as:
Emergency & Critical Care
Anesthesia & Analgesia
Dentistry
Internal Medicine
…can increase your salary by $5,000 to $15,000 annually, depending on your location and employer.
More education, more skills, and more certifications typically translate into more cash in your wallet.
5. Opportunities for Shift Work and Overtime
Need to earn more as a vet tech? Oftentimes, clinics provide overtime or differential pay for working holidays, weekends, or nights.
Although it may not be the most convenient schedule, the additional money can add up fast. Some emergency hospitals even pay shift differentials of 10%–20% more per hour for those less desirable shifts.
6. Job Benefits Add Extra Value
It’s not only about the base pay. Many vet techs enjoy a variety of benefits that add value to their total compensation:
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Paid time off and holiday pay
Retirement savings plans (like 401(k))
Continuing education reimbursement
Uniform or scrub allowances
Discounts on pet care
So even if the salary itself feels modest, the perks can balance things out nicely.
7. Career Growth: From Vet Tech to More
Let’s say you’re in the field already and looking to grow. Good news — there’s plenty of upward mobility.
Some vet techs go on to:
Become practice managers or supervisors
Train new vet techs or teach at technical schools
Enter specialty careers
Sell pharmaceuticals to animals
Go further in education and become veterinary technologists or even veterinarians
Each additional step in education or duty can carry a salary increase.
Is It Worth It To Become a Vet Tech Financially?
The response is based on your goals.
If you’re joining the field for the paycheck, you may be disappointed — it’s not one of the most lucrative careers around. But if you care about animals, you enjoy hands-on work, and you’d like a job that makes a difference every day, vet tech work can be highly rewarding.
And although the initial salary may appear to be low, there are definite routes to make more money in the long run, particularly with specialization or moving elsewhere.
A Expanding Profession With Robust Demand
Here’s the good news: vet techs are in demand like never before. As projections indicate, employment in this profession is set to increase by 20% in the coming decade — several times the rate for all professions.
More people with pets, more sophisticated vet care, and a general concern for animal health translate to more opportunities for skilled vet techs nationwide.
Not only is this a career of purpose, but it’s also a stable, expanding career with space to grow.
Conclusion
So, How much do vet techs make in 2025? The average salary falls between $38,000 and $48,000 per year, with the potential to earn more through experience, certification, specialization, and location.
Sure, it may not be a six-figure job — but if you’re someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, loves animals, and wants to feel like you’re doing meaningful work, this could be the perfect career path for you.
And let’s be realistic — not every career path offers wagging tails, purring clients and the reward of saving lives.
