Veterinary Technician Schools in Virginia

Along with a wide-open avenue for career growth, veterinary technicians in Virginia enjoy an impressive salary and several employment opportunities. To help individuals in the state get started in the profession, we have provided below the steps to create a successful career as a veterinary technician in Virginia and the possible licensure requirements and certification alternatives.

To cap it all up, we have included some of the best vet tech training programs to enroll in and the projected salary for veterinary technicians in Virginia.

How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Virginia

Below are all the steps involved in becoming a veterinary technician in Virginia.

1. Fulfill the high school requirements

In high school, veterinary technicians are expected to have strong grades in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and any other relevant subjects offered. Those who do not have a high school diploma may also provide a GED equivalent to secure admission into a training program.

2. Obtain training from an accredited institution

Training for a vet technician in Virginia must be obtained from a training program accredited by the American Medical Veterinary Association. Candidates may attend these programs for two or four years, depending on whether they want to earn an associate or bachelor’s degree.

Virginia has three accredited veterinary technology training programs: Blue Ridge Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, and Tidewater Community College. We will examine these programs in more detail in the upcoming sections.

3. The veterinary technician national examination

Organized every year within three months, the veterinary technician national examination tests aspiring vet technicians in pharmacology, laboratory procedures, and diagnostic imaging.

Top Veterinary Technician Schools in Virginia

Three veterinary technician schools in Virginia are accredited by the AVMA’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. We take a look at what all three have to offer below.

Consider exploring veterinary technician schools in neighboring states:

• Veterinary Technician Schools in North Carolina

State Licensure and Certification Requirements

After fulfilling high school requirements, graduating from an accredited training program, and passing the VTNE, the next step is to become licensed by the Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine. To acquire these licenses, candidates must fill out an application and send it to the board with transcripts of their time in an accredited training program. They must also forward the official test results from the VTNE.

Once a license is issued, it must be renewed every year through six hours of continuing education credits.

Learn about Veterinary Technician licensing and certification in neighboring states:

• Learn about Veterinary Technician licensing in Maryland

Salary and Career Outlook

The annual salary for veterinary technicians in Virginia is $ 41327 – a figure 12% higher than the national average. This figure is more pertinent for veterinary technicians in the midpoint of location, experience, credentials, and the type of establishment they work in.

For vet technicians at the lower end of these factors, the annual average salary is usually closer to $ 30,392, while those who fall in the upper back are the ones who earn the most in the state. They tend to make as high as $56,197.

As for the highest paying cities for veterinary technicians in Virginia, they include Vienna, with an annual average salary of $47,783, Richmond with $47,076 Leesburg, with $46,373, Fairfax with $45,341; and Springfield, with an average yearly salary of $45,295.