Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 01.83. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 404 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 157 | 4,187 | $29,038 | $34,862 | $9,469 57 programs |
| Associate's degree | 217 | 4,341 | $37,661 | $41,460 | $17,700 93 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 30 | 514 | $37,416 | $44,115 | $23,980 14 programs |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas College TX · Public · 45 graduates measured | $36,571 | $42,050 | $13,515 |
| Central Coast College CA · Private, for-profit · 46 graduates measured | $36,091 | $44,414 | $8,659 |
| Milwaukee Career College WI · Private, for-profit · 58 graduates measured | $32,751 | $36,748 | $5,500 |
| Carrington College-Portland OR · Private, for-profit · 116 graduates measured | $32,673 | $33,050 | $9,500 |
| Carrington College-Spokane WA · Private, for-profit · 116 graduates measured | $32,673 | $33,050 | $9,500 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Aurora CO · Private, for-profit · 278 graduates measured | $32,463 | $38,267 | $9,180 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix AZ · Private, for-profit · 278 graduates measured | $32,463 | $38,267 | $9,180 |
| Blue Ridge Community College VA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $31,930 | $38,504 | Data unavailable |
| Carrington College-Phoenix North AZ · Private, for-profit · 192 graduates measured | $31,587 | $34,560 | $9,498 |
| Carrington College-Mesa AZ · Private, for-profit · 192 graduates measured | $31,587 | $34,560 | $9,498 |
| Carrington College-Tucson AZ · Private, for-profit · 192 graduates measured | $31,587 | $34,560 | $9,498 |
| Charter College AK · Private, for-profit · 83 graduates measured | $31,260 | $34,204 | $13,280 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Tucson AZ · Private, for-profit · 987 graduates measured | $30,529 | $35,997 | $9,469 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Seattle WA · Private, for-profit · 987 graduates measured | $30,529 | $35,997 | $9,469 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Denver CO · Private, for-profit · 987 graduates measured | $30,529 | $35,997 | $9,469 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tidewater Community College VA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $48,626 | Data unavailable | $10,400 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 48 graduates measured | $48,199 | Data unavailable | $17,525 |
| Windward Community College HI · Public · 26 graduates measured | $47,465 | $50,249 | $8,000 |
| Manor College PA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $47,344 | $55,233 | $25,750 |
| Community College of Denver CO · Public · 31 graduates measured | $45,709 | $52,209 | $11,742 |
| San Juan College NM · Public · 37 graduates measured | $44,891 | $49,376 | $18,646 |
| Stanbridge University CA · Private, for-profit · 59 graduates measured | $44,818 | $52,651 | $19,500 |
| Blue Ridge Community College VA · Public · 41 graduates measured | $44,410 | $47,854 | $11,800 |
| Iowa Western Community College IA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $44,227 | $41,974 | Data unavailable |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College NC · Public · 18 graduates measured | $43,771 | $43,794 | Data unavailable |
| Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology CO · Private, for-profit · 116 graduates measured | $43,657 | $44,975 | $25,354 |
| Des Moines Area Community College IA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $43,281 | $37,055 | Data unavailable |
| Harcum College PA · Private, nonprofit · 58 graduates measured | $43,080 | $41,892 | $28,910 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College MN · Public · 24 graduates measured | $43,039 | $44,584 | $14,872 |
| Pierce College District WA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $42,727 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst MA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $45,633 | $59,298 | $27,000 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ND · Public · 41 graduates measured | $44,485 | $44,457 | $23,125 |
| University of Maine at Augusta ME · Public · 35 graduates measured | $43,798 | Data unavailable | $29,000 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 26 graduates measured | $42,584 | $45,935 | $18,500 |
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $42,510 | $46,669 | $27,000 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton NY · Public · 38 graduates measured | $42,004 | $41,426 | $22,120 |
| Wilson College PA · Private, nonprofit · 41 graduates measured | $38,955 | $41,954 | $25,377 |
| Morehead State University KY · Public · 32 graduates measured | $38,366 | $38,347 | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX · Public · 33 graduates measured | $36,997 | $40,816 | Data unavailable |
| Murray State University KY · Public · 114 graduates measured | $36,009 | $40,839 | $20,000 |
| Fort Valley State University GA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $33,851 | Data unavailable | $29,505 |
| Mississippi State University MS · Public · 39 graduates measured | $33,438 | $36,617 | $22,000 |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus PR · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $24,116 | Data unavailable | $11,031 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo PR · Public · 18 graduates measured | $15,533 | $23,659 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Veterinary technologists and technicians | $47,380 | +9.4% | Associate's degree |
| Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers | $38,150 | +9.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (2)
- 01.8301 Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant
- 01.8399 Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians, Other