Occupations/31-9096.00
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.
Usually a high school diploma, plus some experience or short training.
AI automation risk
28%
More resilient
Human characteristics
70%
Strong human-characteristic mix
Task orientation
72%
Higher automation risk
A day in this job
- Mostly human
Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
- Mostly routine
Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Mostly routine
Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
Split from the wording of these tasks, shown next to the occupation’s AI risk. It is not a separate score for each task, and it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- 02Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
- 03Fill medication prescriptions.
- 04Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- 05Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
- 06Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks4.00
- Degree of automation1.67
- Time sitting1.86
- Originality (ability)2.25
- Conflict situations3.24
- Hands-on objects/tools3.92
- Outdoors / weather2.66
- Disease exposure4.41
- Decision freedom3.46
Top abilities
- Oral Expression3.38
- Oral Comprehension3.38
- Written Expression3.25
- Problem Sensitivity3.25
- Information Ordering3.25
- Near Vision3.12
- Manual Dexterity3.12
- Deductive Reasoning3.12
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.12
- Active Listening3.50
- Writing3.12
- Speaking3.00
- Mathematics2.75
- Science2.62
- Critical Thinking3.25
- Active Learning2.88
- Learning Strategies2.12
- Monitoring3.12
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
10 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $5,700 | 100% | 35% | 1 yr $39,009 2 yr $39,489 Associate · CIP 01.83 |
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $16,100 | 88% | 82% | 1 yr $35,653 2 yr $33,993 Bachelor's · CIP 01.83 |
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $10,800 | 83% | 66% | 1 yr $33,604 2 yr $32,213 Bachelor's · CIP 01.83 |
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $10,000 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $32,925 2 yr $37,856 Bachelor's · CIP 01.83 |
Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $9,800 | 71% | 61% | 1 yr $31,889 2 yr $29,995 Associate · CIP 01.83 |
Saint Paul College St. Paul, MN · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $6,100 | 100% | 29% | 1 yr $29,322 2 yr $29,443 Associate · CIP 01.83 |
Ridgewater College Willmar, MN · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $6,100 | 100% | 36% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls, MN · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $6,000 | 100% | 37% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Iowa State University Ames, IA · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $10,400 | 90% | 77% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Miami Dade College Miami, FL · Public | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 01.8301 | $2,900 | 100% | 41% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Associate · CIP 01.83 |