How to Become a Veterinary Technician in Texas
Veterinary technicians are the nurses of animal care: they assist in surgery, run lab tests, take X-rays and give anesthesia under a veterinarian. Texas programs are mostly two-year associate degrees and lead to the VTNE and Texas licensure as a Licensed Veterinary Technician.
Step 1: Finish an Accredited Program
Texas has 15 accredited vet tech programs: 13 associate degrees, 2 bachelor's degrees. The median program runs about 21 months. Of the 7 that publish a total cost, prices run from $5,940 (Dallas College, Cedar Valley) to $40,012 (Pima Medical Institute, El Paso). 2
Highest reported VTNE rates among larger programs: Austin Community College, Elgin (97.0%), Palo Alto College (89.2%) and Collin College, Wylie (88.9%).
Compare every Texas vet tech program, or by area: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio.
Step 2: Pass the VTNE
The median Texas program reports a 70.4% rate (12 programs reporting), but results range from 44.0% to 97.0%. First-time candidates who passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam over the program's most recent three-year period. The AVMA requires every accredited program to publish this rate and the number of candidates. AVMA CVTEA expects at least 50.0%: the 50% three-year VTNE pass rate the AVMA requires of accredited programs.
Step 3: Get Credentialed
Texas requires a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) license from the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Applicants must graduate from an AVMA-accredited program, pass the VTNE and the Texas State Board Exam on veterinary law, and submit fingerprints.
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Graduate from an AVMA-accredited veterinary technology program and pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) through AAVSB.3 | $375 |
| Apply to the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners through its Self-Service Licensing Portal.4 | $65 |
| Get fingerprinted through IdentoGo; fingerprints are required before licensure.5 | Not published |
| Once approved, buy and pass the online Texas State Board Exam (SBE) on Texas veterinary law and rules, in one sitting within 10 days of purchase.6 | Not published |
Typical fees to start working: $440. Counts the VTNE ($375) and the Board application fee ($65). The State Board Exam purchase fee and the IdentoGo fingerprint fee are extra; their amounts are not published on the Board's pages. LVT licenses renew every year by the last day of your birth month ($80 for a regular license) with 10 hours of continuing education each year.
Jobs and Pay Across Texas
About 16,730 veterinary technicians work in Texas. The middle half earn between $36,040 and $46,780 a year; new graduates usually start toward the lower end. Texas expects about 2,060 openings a year statewide through 2034, from new positions, retirements and people changing jobs, with the number of jobs growing 27.9% (from 15,330 to 19,600).
What Veterinary Technicians Earn by Area
The Texas median is $39,410 a year. 1 Pay is highest around Austin ($45,100), Bryan-College Station ($44,850), Dallas ($44,360) and lowest around Laredo ($35,940) and Rio Grande Valley ($35,460). At the median program cost, setting aside 10% of the Texas median wage pays the program back in about 3.8 years.
Sources and Dates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (29-2056), May 2025 estimates.
- American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (AVMA CVTEA), checked Nov. 2026.
- AAVSB Applying to Take the VTNE, Page last modified Oct 23, 2026.
- Texas Veterinary License Fees, No effective date on page; checked Nov 2026.
- TBVME Licensing Information, checked Nov 2026.
- TBVME State Board Exam (SBE), checked Nov 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Texas and metro areas (employment and wage percentiles), May 2025 estimates.
- Texas Workforce Commission, long-term occupational projections, 2024 to 2034.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or AVMA CVTEA. Our independence policy