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In Georgia, the Empire State of the South, there are a number of distinguished veterinary technician schools that can help prepare animal lovers for a career in veterinary technology, a rapidly growing field. In fact, nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2023) anticipates a 21 percent increase in vet tech jobs between 2022 and 2032, which is seven times the average expected growth for all occupations (3 percent).
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are six accredited programs across Georgia (GA) to impart skills such as medical record-keeping, soothing animal patients, and performing laboratory analyses. These schools include Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, boasting an 78 percent first-time pass rate on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) among its graduates between 2019 and 2022. Since this is a prerequisite to becoming a registered veterinary technician (RVT) in GA, it’s essential to pass the VTNE in order to join this growing profession.
Other schools in GA also offer quality programs and can prepare graduates to compete for the 25,200 additional job openings expected to be created nationally for vet techs between 2022 and 2032 (BLS May 2023).
AVMA-Accredited Vet Tech Schools in Georgia
| School Website | main address | online program | Avma Accredited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashworth College | 5051 Peachtree Corners Circle, Suite 200 Norcross, Georgia, 30092 | Yes | Yes |
| Athens Technical College | 800 US Highway 29N, Athens, Georgia, 30601 | No | Yes |
| Fort Valley State University | 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, Georgia, 31030 | No | Yes |
| Gwinnett Technical College | 5150 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrenceville, Georgia, 30043 | No | Yes |
| Ogeechee Technical College | 1 Joe Kennedy Blvd., Statesboro, Georgia, 30458 | No | Yes |
| Southern Regional Technical College (formerly Southwest Georgia Technical College) | 15689 US Highway 19 North, Thomasville, Georgia, 31792 | No | Yes |
How to Become a Vet Tech in Georgia (GA)
Here are the typical steps to becoming a veterinary technician in Georgia:
- Step 1: Graduate from a program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). As stated above, there are currently six AVMA-accredited programs in GA. It’s important to verify that a given program is accredited because it is a measure of quality and only those who have graduated from one of these programs can sit for the national exam.
- Step 2: Pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). To become a vet tech in Georgia, aspiring members of this field must pass this exam which is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). The test—administered during three one-month windows annually—measures an applicant’s nine domains of knowledge essential to practice as a vet tech. These include pharmacology, diagnostic imaging, and animal dentistry. There is no state exam required in GA.
- Step 3: Apply for licensure as a registered veterinary technician (RVT) through the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine. To practice as a vet tech in GA, an individual must be registered with the state board.
Please note that veterinary technicians in Georgia are expected to renew their licenses on March 31st of even-numbered years with ten hours of continuing education (CEU), five of which can be completed online.
Promising Career Outlook for Vet Techs in Georgia (GA)
The future looks very strong for veterinary technicians in Georgia. As mentioned above, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2023) predicted that openings in this profession will grow 21 percent nationally between 2022 and 2032, which is seven times the average growth projected for all occupations (3 percent). Openings are expected to swell even more quickly within Georgia. According to Projections Central (2024), the anticipated growth rate for vet techs in the state between 2020 and 2030 is 18.2 percent.
There are employment opportunities across various environments for those who graduate from one of the accredited vet tech schools in Georgia. Vet techs in Georgia are employed in animal shelters, laboratories, kennels, private clinics, zoos, and other locations. They may work non-traditional hours (e.g., weekends, holidays, nights) depending on the needs of the animal patients. According to Indeed (April 2024), vet techs can find jobs in Georgia at places like the Petfolk, Allison Animal Care, Chestnut Mountain Animal Hospital, Buckhaven Veterinary Clinic, and Mountain Emergency Animal Center.
In addition to job opportunities, the state of Georgia offers professional networking for veterinary technicians. One of the agencies in the state dedicated to veterinary care is the Georgia Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (GVTAA). The GVTAA features resources, including job postings, scholarships and awards, continued education (CU) opportunities, and more.
Vet Tech Salaries in Georgia – How Much Do Vet Techs Make?
In addition to a strong occupational outlook, Georgia boasts salaries that are on par with the national average. According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS May 2023), the 122,000 vet techs across the nation earned an average annual salary of $44,040. In comparison, the 2,840 vet techs working in Georgia earned $40,390 per year.
The following chart illustrates earning potential for vet techs in Georgia at various earning percentiles, compared to national figures:
| United States | Georgia | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of vet techs employed | 122,000 | 2,840 |
| Average annual salary | $44,040 | $40,390 |
| 10th percentile | $30,180 | $29,110 |
| 25th percentile | $36,340 | $31,890 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $43,740 | $36,680 |
| 75th percentile | $48,900 | $44,940 |
| 90th percentile | $59,310 | $49,310 |
One thing to consider regarding salary averages is the cost of living. While the average vet tech salary of $40,390 in Georgia is less than the average salary of $44,040 for vet techs across the nation (BLS May 2023), Georgia is also one of the most affordable places in the U.S. to live.
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2023), Georgia is the 11th most affordable state in the US, boasting particular savings in housing. In the case of Georgia, this means that vet tech salaries go further than they would in more expensive regions.
Here is a summary of the salary ranges and employment data for vet techs and assistants across the state of Georgia:
| VETERINARY CAREER | GEORGIA JOBS | SALARY DATA (BLS May 2023) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW SALARY (10TH %ILE) | MEDIAN SALARY (50TH %ILE) | HIGH SALARY (90TH %ILE) | ||
| VET TECH | 2,840 | $29,110 | $36,680 | $49,310 |
| VET ASSISTANT | 3,310 | $24,960 | $34,470 | $43,750 |
AVMA-Accredited Veterinary Technician Programs in Georgia
The state of Georgia features six AVMA-accredited veterinary technician programs. Here is an overview of each of these quality offerings:
Ashworth College, located in Norcross, Georgia, offers an online associate in applied science (AAS) veterinary technician program. In addition to flexible online coursework, students enrolled at Ashworth will work in real-world environments ranging from animal hospitals to zoos to earn 270 hours of clinical experience.
Coursework in the four-semester program includes small animal husbandry and restraint; diagnostic and therapeutic techniques; veterinary anesthesia and surgical nursing; laboratory and exotic animal care and nursing; veterinary diagnostic imaging; and large animal nursing and medicine.
In addition to standard veterinary coursework, Ashworth integrates job search preparation into studies and also offers career services. VTNE’s initial accreditation was in 2018, and the VTNE first-time pass rate from 2020 through 2023 is 61.2 percent.
- Location: Norcross, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Six months per semester
Athens Technical College, located near the University of Georgia—offers an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in veterinary technology. Out-of-state students are only admitted if program spaces cannot be filled with Georgia residents. Athens Technical College also offers a certificate in veterinary technician assistant, an embedded program in the AAS degree program.
The curriculum is steered by a technical skills checklist designed to set its graduates up for success. Coursework includes courses such as veterinary clinical pathology; pharmacology; veterinary pathology and diseases; veterinary anesthesiology and surgical procedures; veterinary diagnostic imaging; and more. Students also complete a clinical internship for a total of 80 credits for the AAS degree program.
Athens also offers a variety of optional networking memberships in professional organizations such as the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) and the Georgia Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (GVTAA). Athens Technical College boasted an impressive first-time pass rate on the VTNE of 100 percent in 2022.
- Location: Athens, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, GA had a 78 percent first-time pass rate on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) between 2019 and 2022. This five-semester associate of applied science (AAS) program provides small class sizes and individualized instruction to learn the profession’s techniques.
The five semesters include prerequisites in the areas of communication, social/behavioral sciences, mathematics, and humanities/fine arts. Veterinary technician courses include veterinary medical terminology; animal anatomy and physiology; veterinary clinical procedures; pharmacology for veterinary technicians; laboratory and exotic animals for veterinary technicians; and more, for a total of 79 credits. Gwinnett also created a guide to being a vet tech to give prospective animal care professionals valuable insight into the work environment and what to expect from the day-to-day.
- Location: Lawrenceville, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Ogeechee Technical College of Statesboro (just outside of Savannah) awards graduates an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in veterinary technology and strives to maintain (and attract) quality faculty by having a benchmark goal for teaching awards.
Applicants must have completed 40 documented hours of volunteer service in a veterinary hospital. Courses include general requirements in fine arts, mathematics, and behavioral sciences and core courses such as veterinary clinical pathology; pharmacology for veterinary technicians; veterinary practice management; veterinary anesthesiology and surgical procedures; and others.
In addition, students complete clinical internships in various counties throughout Georgia. From 2020 to 2023, 79 percent of its graduates passed the VTNE on the first attempt, in line with the national average of 70.31 percent.
Students may also earn a veterinary technician sonographer certificate. The coursework averages two semesters to complete.
- Location: Statesboro, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
Southern Regional Technical College
Southern Regional Technical College (formerly Southwest Georgia Technical College) in Thomasville offers a seven-semester AAS degree in veterinary technology. Students may enter the program in the fall, consisting of a minimum of 83 semester-hour-credits. In addition to general education credits, courses include veterinary clinical pathology; veterinary diagnostic imaging; veterinary clinical procedures; veterinary pathology & disease; laboratory and exotic animals; and more. Students also participate in a clinical internship.
The program seeks to impart essential skills of the profession, including identifying common parasites in animals, administering and reading diagnostic radiographs, and performing an intravenous catheterization of an animal’s cephalic vein. Between 2020 and 2023, 80 percent of Southern Regional Technical college’s candidates passed the VTNE on their first attempt.
- Location: Thomasville, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Seven semesters
Finally, Fort Valley State University in the Macon area offers a bachelor of science (BS) in veterinary technology to people who want to pursue more advanced education. In this broad-based examination of animal healthcare, students can complete a pre-veterinary medicine curriculum that can prepare interested applicants for veterinary school.
Made up of 125 credits, the program includes courses such as medical terminology; animal nursing and restraint; veterinary pharmacology and medical dosage; anesthesiology and surgical procedures; large animal techniques; vet clinical parasitology; veterinary microbiology; and animal disease and preventive medicine, among others.
FVSU has a VTNE first-time pass rate of 29 percent for 2020-2023.
- Location: Fort Valley, GA
- Accreditation: AVMA-CVTEA; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
Georgia Veterinary Technician Registration (Licensing) & School Accreditation Information
Before enrolling in a program, people are encouraged to seek out vet tech schools in GA that are accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). This organization weighs criteria such as student outcomes, quality of instruction, and facilities for practice to ensure consistency and excellence across veterinary technician programs in the U.S.
Graduating from an approved program is also a prerequisite for taking the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), an essential step to becoming a vet tech in GA. To join this profession in Georgia, people must apply for licensure through the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine to become registered veterinary technicians (RVT). Requirements for this application include a completed verification of education form, an affidavit of experience, a processing fee, and having one’s VTNE scores sent to the administration office.
Finally, RVTs in Georgia must renew their licenses every two years after completing ten hours of continued education (CU). Five of these hours can be completed online. The Georgia Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association (GVTAA) offers CE opportunities.
