Veterinary Technician Career Outlook

Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is expected to grow 52 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.

A growing pet population will require more veterinary technologists and technicians. In addition, many people consider their pets to be part of their family and are willing to pay more for pet care than in the past. Also, veterinary medicine has advanced considerably, and many of the veterinary services offered today are now comparable to health services for humans.

As veterinarians perform more specialized tasks, clinics and animal hospitals are increasingly using veterinary technologists and technicians to provide more general care and to do more laboratory work. Furthermore, as the number of veterinary services grows, veterinarians will continue to prefer higher skilled veterinary technologists and technicians over veterinary assistants for more complex work. 

Continued support for public health, food and animal safety, and national disease control programs, as well as biomedical research on human health problems, also will contribute to demand for veterinary technologists.

Overall job opportunities for veterinary technologists and technicians are expected to be excellent, particularly in rural areas. The number of veterinary technology programs has been growing, but rapid employment growth means that the number of positions available will continue to outpace the number of new graduates. Workers leaving the occupation will also result in job openings.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition