Animal lovers have many different opportunities to transform their passion for animals into a career. Jobs in animal work range from dog groomer to veterinarian, with roles like veterinary technician or technologist in between. Animal care occupations offer a range of expected salaries, per the information from ZipRecruiter below.
Students interested in pursuing a career working with animals should look carefully at occupational options before deciding on a career path.
Dog Groomer
Dog groomers maintain a dog’s hygiene and appearance through services like bathing, brushing, haircutting, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. Apprenticeship, or on-the-job training, is the usual path to gain the skills and experience needed to become a dog groomer. Typically, aspiring dog groomers start in a trainee position at a chain pet store with a grooming department (e.g., Petco) before moving to a full-service dog salon. Some complete an animal grooming course to boost their chances of securing an entry-level position. Several private trade schools offer online or in-person dog grooming courses.
Veterinary Technician
Veterinary Technicians, often referred to as Vet Techs, assist veterinarians in the care of animals. Their responsibilities include drawing blood, placing catheters, giving medications, and managing anesthesia during surgery. Massachusetts is one of the few states that doesn’t require Vet Techs to be certified or licensed. However, the vast majority of employers prefer to hire certified Vet Techs. To qualify for certification, a student must complete an associate degree program approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and pass a national exam. Four Massachusetts community colleges offer AVMA-approved Vet Tech associate degree programs: Massasoit, North Shore, Mount Wachusett, and Holyoke. Other community colleges in the state offer veterinary health or assistant programs. These programs prepare students for vet assistant or animal care positions, but do not qualify graduates to become certified Vet Techs.
While Vet Techs play a critical role in caring for animals, the average pay for these positions is low compared to other jobs in health care and the broader economy.
Veterinary Technologist
Veterinary Technologists complete a four-year degree in veterinary technology. Having a bachelor’s degree opens up opportunities to work outside of the traditional clinic or hospital setting. For example, most jobs in laboratory settings or research facilities require a bachelor’s degree. As a veterinary technologist in research, you work under the guidance of a scientist or veterinarian, administering medications to animals, preparing tissue samples for study, or recording detailed information on the animals cared for.
One Massachusetts public university, UMass Amherst, offers a degree in Veterinary Technology. This program is AVMA-approved and prepares students to take the national exam to become a certified Veterinary Technologist and prepares them for more advanced roles in research and lab settings. The program begins with two years at the Amherst campus, learning in state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and farms, followed by two years near Boston in the dedicated Veterinary Technology facility at the UMass Amherst-Mount Ida campus in Newton. Students complete several clinical practicums/internships at local veterinary clinics and research facilities during this portion of the program.
Other Bachelor’s Degree Options
In addition to Veterinary Technology, UMass Amherst also offers animal care-related degrees in Animal Management and Equine Science. The Animal Management degree focuses on the care and management of farm animals. The Equine Science degree focuses on the care, breeding, and stable management of horses.
Veterinarian
Veterinarians examine and diagnose animals brought to their clinic, prescribe medication, and perform treatments necessary to preserve health and prevent disease. Veterinarians often work directly with surgical tools or X-ray and ultrasound machines during their daily work.
Beyond hands-on work, veterinarians also conduct research to advance animal science and the veterinary medicine field. Their work is used to treat and prevent various diseases, including those that are transmissible between animals and humans.
Veterinarians complete four years of undergraduate education on a Pre-Veterinarian track before going on to complete veterinary medical school, where they earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Gaining admission to veterinary medical school is highly competitive, with acceptance rates varying from 9% to 19%. The limited number of training seats is one reason it’s so hard to get into veterinary medical school. There are approximately 3,500 veterinary medical school seats available each year in the US compared to 20,000 human medical school seats.
Conclusion
Working in any of the roles described in this article can be incredibly fulfilling for those passionate about animals and their welfare. Understanding the education requirements and the salary expectations are important when deciding which role would be the best long-term fit based on individual goals and interests.
Sarah Balaguru is a rising senior at Bentley University, where she studies Finance with minors in Law and Nonprofit Leadership. Driven by a deep commitment to social impact, Sarah is passionate about using her knowledge to support meaningful change and elevate voices that too often go unheard. Outside the classroom, she finds joy in creative expression—whether playing the piano, writing, singing, or diving into a good book—and loves connecting with new people and places through travel.
