Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of veterinary technologists and technicians to grow 9.4% from 2025 to 2035 (about 12,300 more jobs), with about 13,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $47,380 a year ranks 613th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +9.4%
- Openings a year
- 13,400
- Median pay
- $47,380
- Pay rank
- 613th of 825
Is employment of veterinary technologists and technicians growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of veterinary technologists and technicians to rise 9.4% (about 12,300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +8.0% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 71 healthcare practitioners and technical occupations with a projection. That change ranks 70th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 131,400 |
| Employment, 2035 | 143,800 |
| Projected change | +9.4% |
| Openings a year | 13,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 131,400 jobs here differ from the 129,140 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 13,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 216th most of 830 occupations. About 91% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,230 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for veterinary technologists and technicians rank?
The median of $47,380 a year ranks 613th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: associate's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical Assistants | +6.1% | 1,400 | $66,800 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | +3.7% | 3,400 | $74,310 |
| Surgical Technologists | +5.0% | 7,100 | $64,650 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | +5.8% | 13,800 | $44,470 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | +5.0% | 13,000 | $80,110 |
| Veterinarians | +9.4% | 3,100 | $130,100 |
| Paramedics | +5.7% | 4,300 | $60,600 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | +3.2% | 900 | $335,550 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.