Veterinary Assistant Schools in Nevada

Individuals who love animals and would like to contribute to saving or prolonging their lives would do well to start a career in the veterinary field. Veterinary assisting is perfect for candidates seeking a straightforward entry to obtain real-world familiarity with their field while deciding whether they’d love to pursue a long-term position.

The guide below explores everything prospective veterinary assistants in Nevada must know to launch their careers correctly. It focuses on educational requirements while shedding more light on the possible licensure and certification steps all candidates must undergo.

Lastly, after highlighting top veterinary assisting programs in the state, we conclude with an overview of the salary figures for veterinary assistants.

How to Become a Veterinary Assistant in Nevada

The following are all necessary steps to begin a veterinary assisting career in Nevada.

Preparatory Steps

To prepare for employment as a veterinary assistant, candidates are expected to have a high school diploma or GED. This is not a law but more of a requirement to secure admission into a training program and sometimes even to secure job placement at prominent veterinary establishments.

Choosing a Training Program

One of the most important decisions candidates must make to become veterinary assistants in Nevada is choosing a training program. They may either go with a program accredited by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America (NAVTA) or a non-accredited option.

Both of these training destinations are valid means of securing employment. However, accredited programs have the advantage of offering a straightforward path to becoming certified by NAVTA.

Seek Professional Certification

As mentioned earlier, aspiring veterinary assistants in Nevada who attend NAVTA-accredited programs can become certified once they complete their training. It should also be noted that even those who do not attend an accredited program can still be certified by NAVTA down the line, but they will have to build some experience on the job first.

Consider Careers with Similar Paths:

• Become a veterinary technician in Nevada

Top Veterinary Assistant Schools in Nevada

Below are a few prominent training programs for prospective veterinary assistants in Nevada to consider.

Online Options

Some online programs offering veterinary assistant training are VetMedTeam, VetBloom, Animal Behavior College, Penn Foster College, and Ross College. These programs are accredited by NAVTA and can rival on-campus programs in terms of coursework comprehensiveness and overall training quality.

Explore nearby states for education and training:

• Veterinary Assistant Schools in Utah

Licensure and Certification Requirements

As with certification, veterinary assistants in Nevada can start working professionally without a license.

As mentioned above, once candidates attend a NAVTA-accredited program, they may take the certification exam as soon as they graduate. Those who score 75% and above will receive an Approved Veterinary Assistant credential, which they may leverage to secure employment.

Being an accredited veterinary assistant also allows candidates to enjoy continuing education resources such as seminars and workshops to improve their careers. Speaking of continuing education, certified veterinary assistants need 10 continuing education credits every two years to maintain their license.

This ensures that they remain up-to-date with advancements in the field while refreshing their existing knowledge.

Salary & Career Outlook

Veterinary assistants in Nevada, among the average earners in the state, take home an average annual salary of $38,344. Those among the bottom 10% take home an annual average salary of $31,388, while those who make up the bottom 10% still manage an annual average salary of $46,841.

Location plays a huge role in determining the average salary of a vet assistant in the state. Incline Village is the highest-paying location for veterinary assistants in Nevada, with an annual average salary of $47,138.

Reno and Fernley also make the top five with annual average salaries of $41,363 and $39,452, as does Henderson, with an annual average salary of $37,336, and Las Vegas, with an annual average salary of $36,984.