How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Kansas

Whether you are starting your journey or considering a career change, we’re here to guide you through everything you need to know to become a veterinarian technician in Kansas. As one would expect, Kansas has some specific requirements peculiar to the state.

But along with this, several additional steps are common to all aspiring veterinary technicians nationwide. In the following sections, we deeply dive into these topics and more.

We also provide a special look at the potential salary, certification, and licensing requirements, along with the projected career outlook of veterinary technicians in Kansas.

Steps To Become a Veterinary Technician in Kansas

Interested individuals must obtain certification from the state board to become a veterinary technician in Kansas. Before they get to that point, however, they must have satisfied the following requirements:

• Have a High School Diploma or GED Equivalent - Veterinary Technicians in Kansas are expected to have a high school diploma because it indicates a strong foundation in high school subjects such as Mathematics, English, Agricultural Science, and Biology.

All of these are built upon in one way or another during a vet tech program, so it is always a good idea to be familiar with the subjects either through a high school diploma or its GED equivalent.

• Graduate from an Accredited Program - Fulfilling the requirement above will get you an easier route into a vet tech training program. In Kansas, there is a great deal of alternatives to choose from. Ultimately, your decision of which program to choose will depend on proximity, program quality, instructor quality, and facilities.

However, one thing you should always remember when choosing a vet tech program is the accreditation status. All veterinary technology programs in the country must be accredited by the CVTEA (Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities).

• Obtain Real-World Experience - All veterinary technicians must have real-world experience before they can begin to seek employment. This is because even though college programs go as deeply into the theoretical aspects of the job as possible, it is only possible to truly get a feel of what it takes to work in an actual clinical environment if you do exactly that - working in a real clinical setting.

So programs include a mandatory internship or externship as part of their curriculum to encourage students to acquire this real-world experience by working in an approved veterinary establishment.

• Pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination - All veterinary technology graduates must sit for and pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination before their degrees become valid enough to seek employment. And to sit for the VTNE, applicants must have graduated from an accredited school.

This is one of the reasons why we mentioned that all veterinary technology programs in the country must be accredited by the CVTEA (Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities) so that graduates can sit for the VTNE and ultimately begin the employment-seeking process.

Kansas State Licensure and Certification Requirements

The state body responsible for licensing vet techs in Kansas is the Kansas Board of Veterinary Examiners. To register, candidates must provide a photocopy of their diploma and a passport-style photo and pay a $20 fee.

Individuals who took their VTNE outside Kansas must also submit a copy of their VTNE scores.

After all, these have been provided, and students must pass an exam the board administers. Licensure must be renewed in March every year.

Top Veterinary Technician Schools in Kansas

1. Colby Community College

Colby Community College offers two options for aspiring vet techs. The first is an on-campus program based in Colby, while the second is a distance learning program offering an online associate of applied science degree.

The CVTEA accredits both.

2. Independence Community College

Independence Community College is another strong choice for individuals in Kansas looking for a veterinary nursing program accredited by the CVTEA. The program focuses on animal facility management, small animal healthcare, and large animal healthcare principles of anesthesiology and pharmacology, among other key topics.

3. WSU Tech

Finally, aspiring vet techs in Kansas may also consider WSU Tech. The program prepares students in clinical procedures and patient care. It involves 68 credits and boasts high first-time pass rates among graduates who sat for the national veterinary technician examinations.

Veterinary Technician Salary and Job Outlook in Kansas

Veterinary technicians in Kansas are rewarded for contributing to society via an annual average salary of $30,810. Slightly below the national average, it can scale this earning to as high as $40,712 annually by optimizing factors such as experience, location, and certification.

Veterinary technicians in Topeka, for instance, earn higher than every other city in the state, with an annual average salary of $37,662. Olathe and Overland Park vet techs earn an average yearly salary of $33,704 and $32,711, respectively.

Kansas City and Shawnee round up the top five highest-paying cities for veterinary technicians in Kansas, with an annual average salary of $32,100 and $32,077, respectively.