Characteristics of the labor market for veterinary technician specialists in 2013.

Objective: To determine characteristics of the labor market for veterinary technician specialists (VTSs) during 2013 and identify characteristics significantly associated with pay rate for VTSs.

Design: Survey.

Sample Population: 351 VTSs.

Procedures: A 29-question, multiple-choice survey was sent in early 2014 to all individuals (n = 786) who had been certified as VTSs and for whom an email address could be identified.

Results: Weighted mean pay rate for respondents was $23.50/h; 51.3% (180/351) of respondents received a raise after obtaining VTS certification. Being male, having attended graduate school, having > 4 years of VTS experience, holding a supervisory or management position, being employed by an academic employer or referral practice, and working in the Northeast or outside the United States increased the overall odds of receiving a higher pay rate as a VTS, once other variables were controlled.

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: Results suggested that gender, work experience, and job characteristics were significantly associated with pay rate for VTSs.