A credentialed veterinary technician who specializes in emergency triage and intensive care nursing for critically ill and injured animals. BLS does not publish separate figures for veterinary technologists and technicians; it counts them within veterinary technician (SOC 29-2056), whose median pay is $47,380 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 29-2056
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $47,380a year, or $22.78/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $63K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.4%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 13,400131,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025131.4K
- Projected 2035143.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 131.4K Projected 2035 143.8K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school41.3%
- Certificate14.6%
- Some college7.4%
- Associate's26.4%
- Bachelor's4.9%
- Doctorate5.5%
Highest education held by veterinary technologists and technicians Segment Value High school 41.3% Certificate 14.6% Some college 7.4% Associate's 26.4% Bachelor's 4.9% Doctorate 5.5%
Also advertised as: VTS (ECC), Veterinary ICU Technician, Critical Care Vet Tech, Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care.
Pay
How much do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians make?
Every veterinary emergency and critical care technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$47,380
Middle half earn $38,910 to $57,650
- 10th
- $35,710
- 25th
- $38,910
- 75th
- $57,650
- 90th
- $63,180
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,710 |
| 25th | $38,910 |
| Median | $47,380 |
| 75th | $57,650 |
| 90th | $63,180 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $47,380
- Median hourly wage
- $22.78/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $49,120
- People employed
- 129,140
Versus all US occupations
At $47,380, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians earn 7% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,600 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 54% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $63,180 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,710, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 17% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($61,270), but once local prices are taken into account Minnesota leads at $58,071 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Veterinary Technologists and Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $61,270 | $55,750 | 120 |
| 2California | $60,630 | $54,760 | 11,310 |
| 3Washington | $59,740 | $55,825 | 2,290 |
| 4New York | $59,010 | $54,679 | 5,350 |
| 5Minnesota | $57,270 | $58,071 | 3,560 |
| 6Oregon | $55,810 | $53,995 | 1,120 |
| 7Virginia | $52,090 | $51,521 | 2,790 |
| 8Connecticut | $50,950 | $49,175 | 1,690 |
| 9Maine | $50,810 | $52,354 | 910 |
| 10Nevada | $50,250 | $50,261 | 1,120 |
Job outlook
Is Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | +9.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Veterinary Technologists and Technicians to change 9.4% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.7× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 12,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 13,400 openings are projected each year, 10.2% of the 131,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician
The starting point is a credential as a veterinary technician: an AVMA-accredited veterinary technology degree, usually two years, and a passing score on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE).
For specialist status, technicians apply to the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians and Nurses (AVECCTN), a NAVTA-recognized academy. Applicants document years of full-time emergency and critical care work, continuing education, a large case log, comprehensive case reports and an advanced skills list, then sit the certifying examination. Most build experience at 24-hour emergency hospitals before applying.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as veterinary technologists and technicians.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)41.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree26.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.6%
- Some College Courses7.4%
- Doctoral Degree5.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 41.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 26.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 14.6% |
| Some College Courses | 7.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 5.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician do?
Emergency and critical care technicians are the first hands on a patient when it comes through the door. They triage incoming cases, start oxygen, place catheters, draw blood and run point-of-care tests, and assist with CPR and emergency procedures.
In the ICU they deliver around-the-clock nursing: running fluid pumps and blood transfusions, managing feeding tubes and urinary catheters, checking blood pressure and blood gases, and spotting the early signs that a patient is getting worse. Specialist technicians often lead shifts, train newer staff, and keep the hospital's crash carts and protocols ready.
Day-to-day tasks
- Triage incoming emergency patients
- Place intravenous catheters and draw blood samples
- Run blood gases, lactate and other point-of-care tests
- Assist with CPR and emergency procedures
- Administer fluid therapy, transfusions and medications
- Monitor ICU patients and report changes to veterinarians
- Maintain crash carts and emergency equipment
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
These technicians work in 24-hour emergency and specialty hospitals and university teaching hospitals. Shifts often include nights, weekends and holidays, sometimes in long blocks. The work is fast-paced, physically active and emotionally intense, with frequent lifting and restraint of large dogs.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Writing3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Instructing2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RSI) built on O*NET's Veterinary Technician profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic6.7
- Investigative5.3
- Conventional4.6
- Social4.0
- Artistic1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Support
Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker
$38,150median a year
Most earn $30K to $49K
+9.1%High school - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with veterinary technologists and technicians highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician$47,380
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician | $47,380 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician appears on
Questions
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for veterinary technologists and technicians. It counts them within veterinary technician, whose median pay is $47,380 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $38,910 and $57,650, and the top 10% earn $63,180 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 41.3% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.4% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 13,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician do?
Emergency and critical care technicians are the first hands on a patient when it comes through the door. A typical task: triage incoming emergency patients. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Veterinary Technologists and Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians are District of Columbia ($61,270), California ($60,630), Washington ($59,740) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Minnesota moves to the top at $58,071.
What personality type suits a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technician?
O*NET scores Veterinary Technologists and Technicians highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.