Palo Alto College Vet Tech Program Costs $11,830. Here Is How Its Graduates Do.
An AAS program in San Antonio, Five terms over two years after prerequisites (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring). 89.2% of its graduates passed the VTNE on the first try over Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025.
The Short Version
- Its VTNE rate (89.2%) is above the Texas program median of 70.4%.
- Its published cost is at or below the median for Texas vet tech programs that publish one ($15,000).
- At 10% of the local median wage for veterinary technicians, the program cost is paid back in about 3.0 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How Graduates Do
AVMA CVTEA requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 4
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. Job placement: graduates employed as veterinary technicians, as the program reports it.
Where the Money Goes
The school's estimate, in 6 parts. School grand total is $14,048 including a $2,218 pre/co-requisite term, which is left out here. Out-of-district grand total is $18,521. The Fall Year 1 line items add to $3,151, but the school lists $3,161. The exam row mentions VTNE $575 but counts only the $165 state fee.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fall, Year 1 | $3,161 |
| Spring, Year 1 | $2,520 |
| Summer, Year 1 | $650 |
| Fall, Year 2 | $2,180 |
| Spring, Year 2 | $3,154 |
| Credentialing exams (state) | $165 |
| Total 1 | $11,830 |
* How we calculated this: We added up the school's term totals after removing the pre/co-requisite term; the VTNE fee may not be included.
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. In-district approximated expenses, 2026-2027.
Jobs and Pay in the San Antonio Area
About 1,730 veterinary technicians work in the San Antonio area. The middle half earn between $36,930 and $47,130 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).
Other Vet Tech Programs in the San Antonio Area
Compare all 2 vet tech programs in the San Antonio area
| Program | VTNE rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto College (this page) AAS, San Antonio | 89.2% | Not reported | $11,830 |
| Pima Medical Institute, San Antonio AAS, San Antonio | 44.0% | 83.9% | $40,000 |
Program Facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- Five terms over two years after prerequisites (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring)
- Schedule
- Face to face
- Starts
- Fall (applications Sept. 1 to June 1)
- Before you apply
- ENGL 1301, BIOL 1406 or 1413, MATH 1314 and PSYC 2301 with a C or better, plus a 2.5 GPA, an information session and 80 documented clinical hours.
- Entrance exam
- No standardized exam; a readiness assessment quiz adds points to the application
- Accreditation
- AVMA CVTEA, Full accreditation by AVMA CVTEA, held since initial accreditation in 1998 (program page); not checked against the AVMA list.
- Leads to
- Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and Texas licensure as an LVT
Sources and Dates
- Palo Alto College Veterinary Technology program page, Tuition and Approximate Cost, In-district approximated expenses, 2026-2027.
- Palo Alto College program outcomes page, 46 first-time candidates and an 89.18% pass rate, Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025..
- 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.
- 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