How to Become a Vet Tech

Step 1: Choose an accredited program

The AVMA's Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) accredits vet tech programs. As of its current list, there are 220 accredited programs. 28 of them offer a four-year bachelor's degree, and 13 offer distance learning. Alaska, Utah, Montana and the District of Columbia have no accredited program, so students there usually enroll in a distance program or attend school in another state.

Graduating from an accredited program matters because it is the one route to the VTNE that every state accepts. Before you enroll, check:

• That the program appears on the AVMA's accredited list. Some programs are on probationary or initial accreditation, which the AVMA list shows.
• The program's published VTNE pass rate. Accredited programs report it, and it tells you a lot about how well students are prepared.
• How clinical hours work, especially in a distance program. You will need a practice willing to supervise you.

Associate degrees typically take about two years. The BLS notes that technologists usually hold a four-year bachelor's degree and technicians usually complete a two-year program. In practice, both sit for the same VTNE, and most clinic jobs ask for the credential rather than the degree level.

Step 2: Pass the VTNE

The VTNE is run by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). The key facts from the AAVSB:

• Format: 170 multiple-choice questions in three hours. 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pilot questions.
• Fee: $375, paid when you apply.
• Where: At a PSI testing center, or at home through live remote proctoring.
• When: Four testing windows each year: February 15 to April 15, May 15 to July 15, August 15 to October 15, and November 15 to January 15. Completed applications are due by the 15th of the month before each window (March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15).
• Scoring: Scaled from 200 to 800. A scaled score of 425 passes.
• Retakes: The AAVSB allows five attempts, at least 31 days apart and no more than three in a calendar year. Some states set a lower limit before board approval is needed.

The scored questions cover ten areas. The biggest are animal care and nursing (30 questions), then pharmacy and pharmacology, surgical nursing and anesthesia (20 each). Laboratory procedures, dentistry, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, pain management, and communication and professional support services make up the rest.

Some programs take part in pre-graduation testing, which lets students sit for the exam in their last semester. Ask your program whether it does.

Step 3: Get your state credential

Passing the VTNE is not the same as being credentialed. You still apply to your state, and requirements differ. Depending on the state, you may need to pass a state law or jurisprudence exam, submit fingerprints, and pay a license fee. The title also differs: CVT, RVT or LVT. Our vet tech credentials by state guide lists every state.

In eight states (Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wyoming), the AAVSB lists the credential as voluntary and handled by an association rather than a state board. Even there, many employers prefer or require it.

Step 4: Keep it current

Most credentials need renewal and continuing education (CE). The amount varies. Texas, for example, requires 10 hours of CE a year for licensed veterinary technicians. Check your state board for the exact rules.

A realistic timeline

Many students already work in a clinic as a veterinary assistant or kennel attendant while in school. It is a good way to build skills and references, and some employers help pay tuition. See vet tech vs vet assistant for how the two jobs differ.

What it costs

Costs fall into three groups. Tuition is the big one and varies more than anything else: in-district community college programs cost a fraction of private or for-profit programs for the same AVMA-accredited degree and the same VTNE. Compare total program cost, not per-credit rates, and ask what the equipment, uniform and lab fees add. Exam and licensing fees are predictable: the VTNE is $375, and state application and license fees are typically tens to low hundreds of dollars (Texas charges $65 to apply and $80 to renew, for example). Time out of the workforce is the hidden cost, which is why so many students keep working as assistants during school.

Financial aid applies to accredited degree programs, and some hospital groups offer tuition assistance for employees who commit to stay after graduating. Ask any clinic you work for whether it has a program before you enroll.

Working in a clinic while you study

Most programs expect clinical hours, and distance programs require you to arrange them at a practice near you. Working as a veterinary assistant or kennel attendant during school solves that, pays the bills, and makes the coursework concrete. It also means you graduate with references and a likely job. Our kennel attendant to vet assistant guide covers the first step and how to write a vet tech resume shows how to present student experience.

Pay and job outlook

The median vet tech wage was $47,380 a year ($22.78 an hour) in May 2025. The BLS projects employment to grow 9 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,400 openings a year on average. Pay varies widely by state; see vet tech salary by state for every state's 10th, median and 90th percentile, and negotiating pay as a vet tech for how to use those figures on your first offer.