If you love animals and are interested in working in veterinary medicine, but are not sure you want to undergo the years of training required to become either a veterinary technician or a veterinarian, then becoming a veterinary assistant may be the right choice for you.
A veterinary assistant has many duties, but in general they are not required to have as extensive training as a technician or a veterinary doctor. However, despite this, a veterinary assistant salary is often much higher than in other fields that require little or no coursework and formal training.
In 2010, the average annual salary for a veterinary assistant ranged from $16,000 for entry level positions to above $30,000 for those with job experience in the field. Many offices and other locations that hire veterinary assistants also offer benefits packages as well, which may include such things as health insurance and 401K plans.
There does seem to be quite a bit of difference regionally in veterinary assistant salary rates, however, so in order to get an accurate picture for your area you may want to call your local animal hospital or clinic and ask to interview one of their assistants. This will not only give you a better idea of what he or she is earning, but also the duties involved and their level of job satisfaction.
For those seeking a even higher paying occupation, however, you may want to consider seeking training to become a veterinary technician. Vet tech’s are considerably better paid than veterinary assistant, and some online programs can help you get your veterinary technician certification in as little as eighteen months.
Regardless of whether you choose a position as a veterinary assistant or as a veterinary technician and your veterinary assistant salary expectations, if your goal is to help animals either of these positions are an excellent choice. To learn more about the duties and responsibility of a veterinary assistant and a veterinary, feel free to browse additional pages on this website.