Vet Techs Earn $14-16/hr with 23-30% Annual Turnover Rates

Veterinary technicians -- the nurses of the animal healthcare world -- earn an average of $14 to $16 per hour despite completing two- to four-year credentialed training programs. Annual turnover in veterinary practices has climbed from 13% to 25-30% over the past five years, nearly double the national average across all industries (12-15%). When surveyed about why they leave, 38% cite low pay, 20% cite lack of respect from employers, and 14% cite burnout. NAVTA 2023 data shows a 15% vacancy rate in veterinary technician positions nationwide. The consequences cascade through the entire veterinary care system. When a credentialed veterinary technician leaves, the practice loses an experienced professional who can place IV catheters, administer anesthesia, take radiographs, and manage post-surgical care. Replacing them takes months. In the interim, veterinarians must perform technician-level tasks themselves, reducing the number of patients they can see, increasing wait times, and contributing to their own burnout. The vet tech shortage is one of the primary bottlenecks constraining veterinary care access in the US. The wage problem is particularly perverse because veterinary technicians often accumulate $30,000-$50,000 in student debt for their training programs, then enter a job that pays less than many positions requiring no post-secondary education. A Starbucks barista in a high-cost metro area can earn $18-20/hour with benefits and no student debt. The rational economic response is exactly what is happening: 43% of veterinary technician training programs report declining enrollment, and credentialed technicians are leaving the profession entirely for better-paying work in human healthcare, pharmaceutical companies, or unrelated fields. This persists because veterinary practice economics cannot support higher technician wages without raising prices to pet owners, and the market is already experiencing price sensitivity -- the AVMA reported declining foot traffic at veterinary practices in 2024. Unlike human healthcare, where insurance and government programs absorb labor cost increases, veterinary care is largely out-of-pocket, creating a hard ceiling on what practices can charge and therefore what they can pay staff.