Salary is a big issue for veterinary technicians, and many feel that they do not make enough money. The bottom line is that you do not become a vet tech to get rich or make a lot of money. It truly is a “labor of love.”

Veterinary technicians are usually paid hourly wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Median annual wages of veterinary technologists and technicians were $28,900 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $23,580 and $34,960. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $19,770, and the top 10 percent earned more than $41,490.

So, as you can see, there really isn’t a lot of money to be made as a vet tech. Part of this is because there is high turnover in the profession and little area for advancement. Pay is also low because vet techs are legally restricted from performing certain procedures that might allow them to offer more value to vets. And of course, animal care professionals generally make less overall, as people are primarily concerned with their own health before their pets. Hopefully this will change as time goes on and people begin to take health care for their animals more seriously.

Veterinary technician salary does increase with experience:

Vet tech salaries increase with experience, but generally do not break $40,000 per year.

How can you make the most money as a vet tech? Here are the things you can do increase your earning potential:

1. Gain more experience. The more years you have in the field, the higher they pay you generally receive.
2. Worker in a larger city. Vet techs in bigger metropolitan areas often are paid more than small-town techs to compensate for cost-of-living.
3. Specialize. There are 10 official specialties recognized by the AVMA. Becoming specialized in one of these areas will raise your income potential, but it takes time and experience to get them. The vet technician specialties are:
1. Emergency and Critical Care Specialty
2. Nutrition Specialty
3. Dentistry Specialty
4. Clinical Practice Specialty
5. Surgical Specialty
6. Anesthesia Specialty
7. Internal Medicine Specialty
8. Zoo Specialty
9. Behavior Specialty
10. Equine Specialty 
4. Work in a hospital. Vet techs that work in hospitals make slightly more than those in private practices.
5. Work in a research lab. Techs that work in research labs are usually paid more than any those in any other setting.

Pay is a very important point to consider, and it’s usually one of the main reasons people decide not to become a vet tech, and a big reason why vet techs leave their field. If you are doing this, you need to be doing it because you are passionate about your patients and want to make a difference.

Again, I am not trying to discourage you from being a vet tech – even if there isn’t much money to be made, I have spoken to MANY techs who say they love their jobs and the level of satisfaction they get out of them. As one tech told me, “if you find something you like to do, you won’t work a day in your life!”