Veterinary Assistant & Technician programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
352 certificate and associate-degree programs at 280 U.S. schools teach veterinary assistants and technologists. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies programs (CIP 01.83) include veterinary assisting and veterinary-technician associate programs.
Best-paying veterinary tech programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidewater Community College | Norfolk, VA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 24 | $48,626 | $10,400 | $118 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 54 | $48,199 | $17,525 | $199 |
| Windward Community College | Kaneohe, HI | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 28 | $47,465 | $8,000 | $91 |
| Manor College | Jenkintown, PA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 16 | $47,344 | $25,750 | $293 |
| Community College of Denver | Denver, CO | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 23 | $45,709 | $11,742 | $133 |
| San Juan College | Farmington, NM | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 46 | $44,891 | $18,646 | $212 |
| Stanbridge University | Irvine, CA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 51 | $44,818 | $19,500 | $222 |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Weyers Cave, VA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 37 | $44,410 | $11,800 | $134 |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs, IA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 14 | $44,227 | – | – |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville, NC | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 13 | $43,771 | – | – |
| Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology | Denver, CO | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 21 | $43,657 | $25,354 | $288 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 6 | $43,281 | – | – |
| Harcum College | Bryn Mawr, PA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 28 | $43,080 | $28,910 | $329 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester, MN | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 22 | $43,039 | $14,872 | $169 |
| Pierce College District | Lakewood, WA | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology | Associate degree | 16 | $42,727 | – | – |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
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Veterinary Tech programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 | 3 | $32,448 | $10,142 |
| Alaska | 3 | 2 | $31,260 | $13,280 |
| Arizona | 13 | 8 | $31,587 | $9,498 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 1 | $34,558 | – |
| California | 44 | 34 | $36,515 | $19,551 |
| Colorado | 17 | 13 | $39,137 | $15,498 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 1 | $39,744 | $11,000 |
| Delaware | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Florida | 18 | 14 | $27,513 | $10,875 |
| Georgia | 8 | 5 | $41,083 | $15,350 |
| Hawaii | 2 | 1 | $47,465 | $8,000 |
| Idaho | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Illinois | 11 | 8 | $40,396 | $13,627 |
| Indiana | 6 | 6 | $41,255 | $15,575 |
| Iowa | 8 | 7 | $33,312 | $11,691 |
| Kansas | 5 | 4 | $38,494 | $12,000 |
| Kentucky | 5 | 5 | $24,402 | $9,034 |
| Louisiana | 6 | 4 | $37,458 | – |
| Maine | 2 | 2 | $41,580 | – |
| Maryland | 2 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Massachusetts | 6 | 5 | $36,661 | $13,925 |
| Michigan | 12 | 11 | $27,467 | $7,283 |
| Minnesota | 4 | 4 | $38,819 | $15,171 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Missouri | 7 | 5 | $32,835 | – |
| Nebraska | 4 | 3 | $35,049 | $12,000 |
| Nevada | 5 | 3 | $34,500 | $14,734 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 3 | $39,518 | $10,368 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 4 | $41,858 | $10,000 |
| New Mexico | 7 | 5 | $37,117 | $16,106 |
| New York | 10 | 10 | $41,110 | $14,892 |
| North Carolina | 8 | 6 | $40,684 | – |
| Ohio | 17 | 14 | $39,298 | $17,700 |
| Oklahoma | 11 | 10 | $29,060 | $8,208 |
| Oregon | 5 | 4 | $32,673 | $9,500 |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 12 | $36,212 | $16,632 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 1 | $37,327 | $19,395 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 4 | $33,506 | – |
| South Dakota | 1 | 1 | not reported | $12,000 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 6 | $30,262 | – |
| Texas | 24 | 17 | $36,571 | $15,096 |
| Utah | 1 | 1 | $23,205 | – |
| Vermont | 1 | 1 | $36,464 | – |
| Virginia | 6 | 4 | $44,410 | $11,800 |
| Washington | 12 | 9 | $35,572 | $9,500 |
| West Virginia | 9 | 6 | $25,917 | $13,047 |
| Wisconsin | 10 | 6 | $36,670 | $21,000 |
| Wyoming | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Credentialed veterinary technicians must typically graduate from an accredited program and pass a credentialing exam; assistants generally learn on the job. Check which role you are training for.
Questions to ask every school
- Is the program accredited for credentialed technicians?
- What is the VTNE pass rate?
- How many hours are in a working clinic?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers.
Frequently asked questions
How much do veterinary tech graduates earn?
Among 152 veterinary tech programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $36,440 for certificate programs ($30,025) and $38,472 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do veterinary tech students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $13,627. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.