Veterinary technicians perform animal X-rays an other diagnostic procedures.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics includes animal X-ray technicians within the category of veterinary technologists and technicians. Both of these jobs perform X-ray and other imaging techniques used for diagnosing animal illnesses and injuries. The national average salary for veterinary technologists and technicians was $31,030 with a corresponding hourly wage of $14.92 as of May 2010.
Salary Percentiles
The BLS reports salary percentiles for veterinary technologists and technicians as of May 2010: The 10th percentile earned an annual salary of $20,500 and hourly wage of $9.85 and the 25th percentile earned an annual salary of $24,480 and $11.71 hourly. The median salary for veterinary technologists and technicians was $29,710 and $14.28 hourly. The 75th percentile annual salary for veterinary technologists and technicians was $36,300 with an hourly wage of $17.45. The 90th percentile earned $44,030 annually and 21.47 hourly.These percentiles are representative of salary percentiles for animal X-ray technicians.
Highest Paying Employment Sectors
The top five highest paying employment sectors for veterinary technologists and technicians as of May 2010 were the federal government with an average annual salary of $48,430 and hourly wage of $23.28, and state governments with an average annual salary of $47,060 and 22.62 hourly. Pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers paid veterinary technologists and technicians an average annual salary of $42,980 and $20.66 hourly. General medical and surgical hospitals paid an average annual salary of $42,630 and $20.50 hourly. Medical and diagnostic laboratories paid an average annual salary of $40,960 and $19.69 hourly.
Highest Paying U.S. Metropolitan Areas
The BLS reports that veterinary technologists and technicians earned the highest average annual salaries and hourly wages as of May 2010. The Sacramento-Arden Arcade-Roseville, California, metro area paid an average annual salary of $44,580 and hourly wage of $21.43. The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Connecticut metro area paid an average annual salary of $41,960 and hourly wage of $20.07. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, metro area paid an average annual salary of $41,290 and $19.85 hourly. The San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California metro area paid an average annual salary of $40,250 and $19.35 hourly. Veterinary technologists and technicians working in the Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Michigan, metro area earned an average annual salary of $40,170 and $19.31 hourly.
Employment Projections 2008-2018
The BLS forecasts that veterinary technologists and technicians are expected to have excellent job opportunities during the decade of 2008 to 2018 with job growth of 36 percent due to insufficient qualified graduates for meeting employment needs. Pet owners insist on state-of-the art treatment and care for pets, which is requiring veterinary clinics and hospitals to use increasingly sophisticated technology for evaluating, diagnosing and treating animals. The BLS further notes that few veterinary technologists and technicians stay in this career field for more than 10 years. This turnover increases job opportunities for veterinary technologists and technicians including animal X-ray technicians.
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