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The Veterinary field is growing at a faster than average rate, creating more job opportunities every day. Veterinary technicians, technologists and assistants are an indispensable part of every Veterinary healthcare team. Furthermore, online learning in veterinary technology and degrees in the subject continue to grow, with colleges and programs across the country offering one, both or a combination of the two. Our expert research team has collected and analyzed data from hundreds of institutions across the nation to see which schools and programs stand out. The schools listed here have been ranked as having some of the best veterinary technology programs in the country. (Methodology)

 

 

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TOP 30

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
340 Victoria Road, Asheville, North Carolina 28801 USA
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Located in Asheville, North Carolina, A-B Tech offers an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. Graduates of the program have a three-year 95.2% pass rate on the Veterinary Technicians National Exam (VTNE). Most courses in this curriculum require a “C” grade or better. In-state tuition per semester is $76 per credit for NC residents and $248 per credit for out-of-state students. Applicants must pass a background check and drug screening. The A-B Tech veterinary technician program has been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and graduates are immediately eligible to take state and national certification exams.

 

TOP 30

Athens Technical College
800 US Hwy 29 North, Athens, GA 30601
Athens Technical College

Athens Tech is located in Athens, Georgia and offers a Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree as well as a Veterinary Technician Assistant certificate. The Associate’s Degree requires the completion of 57 credit hours while the vet tech certification program requires the completion of 31 credit hours. All classes in the certificate program require at least a “C” grade. Admission policy requires the submission of test scores, which can include ASSET, SAT, ACT, ACCUPLACER, or COMPASS placement exams. Athens Technical School first opened in 1958 and has additional campuses in Walton and Elbert Counties. However, the veterinary technology programs are only offered at the Athens campus.

 

TOP 30

Bellingham Technical College
3028 Lindbergh Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225
Bellingham Technical College

Just south of the Canadian border in the state of Washington, Bellingham Technical College offers an Associate’s of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology as well as a Veterinary Assistant certificate. There is a 97% job placement rate for BTC veterinary graduates. BTC’s curriculum is divided up into quarters instead of semesters and Veterinary Technician program applicants must complete at least 20 observation hours to gain admission. General education courses and veterinary prerequisites must also be completed before gaining admission to the BTC veterinary technician program. BTC’s Veterinary Assistant certificate program lasts only half as long as its Veterinary Technician program.

 

TOP 30

Blue Ridge Community College
Box 80, One College Lane Weyers Cave, Virginia 24486
Blue Ridge Community College

The vet tech program at Blue Ridge has a separate set of admissions requirements that is more competitive than the general admissions process. There are two vet tech programs to choose from. The on-campus program is located on the BRCC main campus in Weyers Cave, Virginia, and takes two years to complete. There is also a distance learning program that takes three years to complete. Both programs are accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. A Veterinary Assistant program is also offered on campus and requires 12 credits to complete.

 

 

TOP 30

Cedar Valley College
3030 N. Dallas Ave Lancaster, TX 75134
Cedar Valley College

The vet tech program at Cedar Valley has been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association since 1978. Cedar Valley is part of the Dallas Community College District and is located in Lancaster, Texas. There is an on-site veterinary technology program as well as a distance program. The on-site program fills up with about 45 new students each fall and in-county tuition averages about $4,000 for the entire program. The vet tech program concludes with a Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences. Cedar Valley also offers a Small Animal Assisting Certificate and Large Animal Assisting Certificate, each of which can be completed in two semesters.

 

TOP 30

Central Oregon Community College
2600 N.W. College Way Bend, Oregon 97703
Central Oregon Community College

Central Oregon accepts 24 students to its vet tech program every two years. Applicants will be evaluated on their performance on the TEAS Exam, their individual interviews and previous veterinary experience. Applicants must also complete 40 observation hours prior to being accepted. A criminal background check, drug screening and proof of immunization are also required. This is a two-year program that concludes with an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary Technician. Graduates automatically qualify to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) on which a passing score is required to become a licensed vet tech in Oregon.

 

TOP 30

Chattanooga State Community College
4501 Amnicola Highway Chattanooga, TN 37406
Chattanooga State Community College

The vet tech program at Chattanooga State is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Applicants need to complete 16 observation hours and the entire application packet must be completed by November 1st of each year. The curriculum consists of five semesters and ends with the awarding of an Associate’s Degree of Applied Sciences in Veterinary Technology. Information sessions are available four times a year for those interested in joining the vet tech program. Chattanooga State has four campus locations, with two located in the city of Chattanooga and the others in Dayton and Kimball.

 

TOP 30

Consumes River College
4501 Amnicola Highway Chattanooga, TN 37406
Consumes River College

Located in Sacramento, Consumes River College is just one of six vet tech programs in the state of California that have been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. There is the option of earning an Associate’s of Applied Science or a Veterinary Technology Certificate. Graduates of the vet tech program have a 92.4% pass rate on the VTNE (Veterinary Technician National Examination). Graduates have also been able to gain employment and licensing outside the state of California. There are six to eight vet tech scholarships offered each year through Consumes River College.

 

TOP 30

Crowder College
601 Laclede, Neosho MO 64850
Crowder College

The atmosphere at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri is very welcoming to veterinary technician students. The campus features an on-site outdoor dog kennel, numerous barns with corrals, an indoor small animal kennel, and more than 300 acres of farmland. The campus is also home to an agricultural science center, which provides vet tech students with anatomy labs and the latest technology. Crowder’s veterinary technology program accepts 18 students each year and previous college grades, field experience and letters of recommendation all factor into the admissions process. The program is accredited through the American Veterinary Medical Association.

 

TOP 30

Eastern Wyoming College
3200 West C Street Torrington, Wyoming 82240
Eastern Wyoming College

An A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology can completed in four or five semesters at Eastern Wyoming College. There are small animals, livestock, and even exotic species located on the Eastern Wyoming campus. The facilities include a surgical suite, digital and dental radiography, as well as a number laboratories used in the vet tech program. Applicants need to take the Health Occupations Aptitude Exam (HOAE) while also passing a criminal background check. A Veterinary Aide Certificate is also available and takes two semester (30 credit hours) to complete. A variety of scholarships are also available through EWC, which is located in the city of Torrington.

 

TOP 30

Front Range Community College
3645 W 112th Ave, Westminster, CO 80031
Front Range Community College

The A.A.S. Veterinary Technician program at Fort Range Community College is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The first three semesters of the program take place on the Larimer Campus, located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The fourth semester goes off campus and involves a clinical internship at a private practice. Prerequisite college classes are required before gaining admission to the vet tech program. Students at FRCC also have the option of earning a Veterinary Technician Certificate in basic lab animal care (12 credits) or a Veterinary Assistant Certificate (16 credits).

 

TOP 30

Gwinnett Technical College
5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Gwinnett Technical College

Gwinnett Tech’s Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree program takes five semesters to complete and that does not take into account any prerequisite courses. Program applicants are required to complete a health essay and must also attend a mandatory competitive admissions meeting once their application is complete. There are monthly information sessions at the Lawrenceville campus open to anyone looking to learn more about the Gwinnett Tech vet tech program, which has been accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). The three-year pass rate for Gwinnett Tech graduates on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) is 98%.

 

TOP 30

Hinds Community College
501 East Main St. Raymond, MS 39154-1100 P.O. Box 1100
Hinds Community College

Hinds has six separate campuses and its Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree program takes place on the Raymond Campus in Raymond, Mississippi. Residential housing is also offered on this campus. The vet tech program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and is operated by Hinds’ Agriculture Department. Applicants who are being considered for admission to the vet tech program will undergo an interview while 35 observation hours must be completed prior to the interview. Once accepted, there is an option to become a hybrid student, which involves minimal in-person contact with the faculty.

 

TOP 30

Hillsborough Community College
1206 North Park Road Plant City, Florida 33566
Hillsborough Community College

Located in Plant City, Florida, Hillsborough Community College offers an Associate’s of Science Degree in Veterinary Technology. The two-year program has been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and requires the completion of 73 credit hours and 240 externship hours. The Hillsborough vet tech program is the second largest one in the state of Florida and HCC graduates have a 92% employment rate within a year of their graduation date. Applications are only accepted during the time period between January 1st and May 17th of each year.

 

 

TOP 30

Jefferson College
1000 Viking Drive Hillsboro, MO 63050
Jefferson College

Jefferson College is located in Hillsboro, Missouri and features an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology. This is one of only four vet tech programs in the state of Missouri. The admissions process is competitive as Jefferson College has assembled Veterinary Technology Admissions Committee that meets every March to decide which applicants will be accepted. The vet tech program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and campus facilities include a large animal facility, dog kennel, and laboratory. Students in the vet tech program are required to score a “C” or above in all of their classes.

 

TOP 30

Lone Star College
5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands TX 77381
Lone Star College

Lone Star College is spread out through the state of Texas with seven different campuses and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The full Veterinary Technician program is offered at the Tomball Campus which has added numerous upgrades to its facility and features a 99.8% pass rate on both State and National Boards. The program has been accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the average tuition is $800 per semester. Lone Star College also offers a Veterinary Technician certificate that can be earned in three semesters.

 

TOP 30

Mesa Community College
1833 West Southern Ave Mesa, AZ 85202
Mesa Community College

Mesa Community College offers an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. The Vet Tech program has been ranked one of the top 20 in the nation, per the Community for Accredited Online Schools. Admissions is highly competitive as applicants must have at least one year of animal-related work experience. Mesa is one of only three Arizona vet tech programs to be accredited by the AVMA. The program utilizes an off-campus veterinary teaching lab that was actually a former veterinary clinic. There is also an on-campus large animal facility.

 

TOP 30

Middlesex Community College
100 Training Hill Road, Middletown, CT 06457
Middlesex Community College

The Middlesex campus is located in Middletown, Connecticut and offers a two-year Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology. There are 11 perquisite credits required before starting the vet tech program, while 69 credits need to be completed in order to graduate. Supervised externships also need to be completed to suffice the programs graduation requirements. Middlesex’s vet tech program works in collaboration with Pieper-Olson Veterinary Hospital, which is also located in Middletown. General education classes are conducted on the Middlesex County campus while the clinical instruction portion takes place at Pieper-Olson, which is only two miles from the campus.

 

TOP 30

Murray State College
One Murray Campus Tishomingo, OK 73460
Murray State College

Murray State is an AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technology program located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Because admissions is highly competitive, Murray State has devised an admissions point system used by its Veterinary Technology Selection Committee. Tie scores among applicants, with the same number of points, will be broken by individual ACT scores, GPA and science grades. Several classes assign students hospital rounds in various veterinary hospitals and six credit hours are awarded upon the completion of an additional externship. Vet tech students are required to attend the annual Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association Convention and field trips are also offered.

 

TOP 30

Northeast Community College
801 East Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, Nebraska 68701
Northeast Community College

An Associate’s of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology is offered at the Northeast Community College campus located in Norfolk, Nebraska. The program is accredited by the AVMA and admissions are highly competitive. Applicants are required to pass a background check and complete 50 observation hours before being admitted. To earn an A.A.S., vet tech students must complete 75 credits, 60 of which are veterinary technology courses. There is also a shorter Pre-Veterinary Technology Degree that can be completed by applicants who did not gain admission to the vet tech program.

 

TOP 30

Northshore Technical Community College
900 B West University Ave, Hammond, LA 70427
Northshore Technical Community College

Located in southern Louisiana, Northshore Tech’s Veterinary Technician program has been voted No.5 in the country by the Community for Accredited Online Schools. The AVMA-accredited program is a hybrid program, meaning that its courses are split between the online and on-campus varieties. The first year of the two-year program concludes with the awarding of a Veterinary Assistant certificate. The end of the second year leads to an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. This program also has an established partnership with Pontchartrain Animal Hospital, located in nearby city of Slidell.

 

TOP 30

Northwest Mississippi Community College
4975 Highway 51N, Senatobia, MS 38668
Northwest Mississippi Community College

The Veterinary Technician program offers courses at the main campus location in Senatobia, Mississippi. Students who complete the course requirements are eligible to receive an Associate’s of Arts Degree. There is also the option of earning an academic pathway in Veterinary Medicine, which is intended to get students started on a career in the veterinary field. Northwest Mississippi Community College is mainly a commuter school that is located on a rural campus. All residents of Mississippi must submit their ACT scores when applying. There are also no online options available in the vet tech program.

 

TOP 30

Norwalk Community College
188 Richards Ave. Norwalk, CT 06854
Norwalk Community College

Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, Newark Community College offers an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Veterinary technology. Norwalk’s vet tech program is accredited by the AVMA and its applicants are ranked on a point system with a high score of 85. New vet tech students begin the program in the fall semester, although the core classes can be completed before that start date. During students’ clinical externship, they will need to show proof of professional liability insurance. Students also need to earn a “C” grade or better in their prerequisites and select vet tech courses.

 

TOP 30

Owensboro Community and Technical Community College
4800 New Hartford Road, Owensboro, KY 42303
Owensboro Community and Technical Community College

An Owensboro Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology takes two years to complete and that includes fulfilling 7 credits during a summer semester. Each new class consists of 15-24 qualified applicants and following graduation, job placement has been 100% over the past few years. Owensboro is home to several campuses, although the veterinary technician program is only offered at the downtown campus. No prior animal-related work experience is needed for admission, although applicants are required to complete eight observation hours. Financial assistance programs are also available to Owensboro vet tech students.

 

TOP 30

Pierpont Community and Technical College
116 Hunt-Haught Hall Locust Avenue Campus, Fairmont
Pierpont Community and Technical College

Pierpont’s Veterinary Technician Associate’s Degree Program is accredited by the AVMA and boast a 100% job placement rate. Among its graduates Admission to the program requires 20 observation hours and applications must be received by March 1st. The actual vet tech program requires the completion of 74 credit hours. The program works in conjunction with the Marion County Humane Society, which allows students to treat animals housed in its facility. Pierpont offers a variety of merit-based scholarships and has several campus locations throughout North Central West Virginia.

 

TOP 30

San Juan College
4601 College Boulevard Farmington, New Mexico 87402
San Juan College

San Juan College offers a Veterinary Technology Distance Learning Program (VTDLP) that does not require students to attend classes on campus. The program is accredited by the AMVA and graduates qualify to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). For the clinical portion of the program, students will attend an approved Off-Campus Clinical Instruction (OCCI) site within their geographical location. That OCCI must also be approved by San Juan College to qualify the student for an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. A Veterinary Assistant Certificate is also available and students can complete that program in half the time it would take to complete the vet tech program.

 

TOP 30

Southern Regional Technical College
15689 U.S. Highway 19 North Thomasville, Georgia 31792
Southern Regional Technical College

Southern Regional features eight campuses located throughout Southwest Georgia. The Thomasville campus is home to Southern Regional’s A.A.S. Veterinary Technician program, which is one of just five vet tech programs in Georgia to be accredited through the AVMA. Vet tech students are assigned an advisor who will guide them through the required six semesters of schooling. Graduates of the vet tech program are able to apply to be credentialed as a Registered Veterinary Technician in Georgia. A Veterinary Technician Assistant Certificate program is also available and can be completed in just three semesters.

 

TOP 30

Truckee Meadows Community College
15689 U.S. Highway 19 North Thomasville, Georgia 31792
Truckee Meadows Community College

TMCC is based out of Reno, Nevada and its Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology is accredited by the AVMA. Graduates of this program currently have a 93% three-year pass rate on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). Applicants are evaluated on an 18-point scoring system and letters of acceptance or denial go out midway through the month of June. The vet tech program can be completed in just four semesters. TMCC has five campuses spread out through the Reno area and there are 20 locations offering classes.

 

 

TOP 30

Tulsa Community College
3727 E Apache St, Tulsa, OK 74115
Tulsa Community College

The TCC Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree program has been accredited by the AVMA. Vet tech students have the option of graduating through a traditional two-year full-time plan or a three-year part-time plan. All vet tech program courses require at least a “C” grade or better. TCC has multiple campus locations and the vet tech program is housed on the West Campus, which features its own Veterinary Technology Center. Networking opportunities are also available through TCC’s Veterinary Technology Student Association (VTSA). Applicants being considered for admission are interviewed before a letter of acceptance is issued.

 

Methodology

(Methodology)
VeterinarianEDU.org uses a number of important factors to determine overall rankings for our top 30 list. These factors include a combination of cost and financial aid, along with the number of programs offered. In addition, we consider student-teacher ratios, and employment/career counseling services. Finally, graduation rates were an important aspect when considering what schools to feature.

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