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Veterinary Technologists and Technicians in Puerto Rico

Want to work as a Veterinary Technologists and Technicians in Puerto Rico? Here’s what the data says. Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.

What do Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Make in Puerto Rico?

The veterinary technologists and technicians working in Puerto Rico, wages run about $23,530 per year (or about $11.31/hour).Pay can range from $21,810 at the 10th percentile to $44,670 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$21,810	$10.49
25th percentile	$23,130	$11.12
Median (50th)	$23,530	$11.31
75th percentile	$27,860	$13.40
90th percentile	$44,670	$21.48

The job concentration index in Puerto Rico nationwide is 0.66, indicating fewer veterinary technologists and technicians per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, veterinary technologists and technicians earn a median of $47,148 per year ($22.67/hour), lower than the Puerto Rico median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 1,946,495 veterinary technologists and technicians in the U.S.. In Puerto Rico alone, approximately 530 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 1,780 veterinary technologists and technicians.

Top Puerto Rico Metros for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

These are the Puerto Rico metros with the most veterinary technologists and technicians in Puerto Rico.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	380	$23,530
Arecibo, PR	40	$23,900
Ponce, PR	30	$22,070

Top States for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Employment

The table below shows the states where the most veterinary technologists and technicians work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	16,170
California	11,380
Florida	10,130
Pennsylvania	5,840
New York	5,480
Illinois	4,840
Ohio	4,720
Minnesota	4,320
Colorado	3,990
Massachusetts	3,900
North Carolina	3,650
New Jersey	3,500
Arizona	3,390
Georgia	3,280
Maryland	3,090
Michigan	2,880
Wisconsin	2,860
Virginia	2,800
Indiana	2,340
Tennessee	2,270

Highest-Paying States for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

Where veterinary technologists and technicians earn the most: veterinary technologists and technicians.

State	Annual Median Salary
Washington	$59,080
New York	$58,830
District of Columbia	$55,900
Virginia	$55,790
California	$55,080
Minnesota	$49,480
Maine	$49,460
Oregon	$48,950
Connecticut	$48,880
New Jersey	$48,630

Skills

Key veterinary technologists and technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for veterinary technologists and technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, veterinary technologists and technicians typically:

• Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.
• Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
• Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.
• Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.
• Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.
• Restrain animals during exams or procedures.
• Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures.
• Clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials.
• Provide veterinarians with the correct equipment or instruments, as needed.
• Perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth.
• Observe the behavior and condition of animals and monitor their clinical symptoms.
• Give enemas and perform catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.

Work Activities

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Handling and Moving Objects

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Access

Related Careers

Other careers like veterinary technologists and technicians include:

• Physician Assistants
• Anesthesiologist Assistants
• Veterinarians
• Nurse Anesthetists
• Anesthesiologists
• Emergency Medicine Physicians

Also Known As

Animal Care Technician (Animal Care Tech), Animal Health Technician (Animal Health Tech), Animal Technician (Animal Tech), Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech), Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician (Internal Medicine Vet Tech), Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT), Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), Swine Technician (Swine Tech), Veterinarian Lab Technician (Veterinary Lab Tech), Veterinarian Technician (Vet Tech), Veterinary Assistant (Vet Assistant), Veterinary Laboratory Technician (Vet Lab Tech), Veterinary Nurse (Vet Nurse), Veterinary Surgery Technician (Vet Surgery Tech).

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-2056.00