Pima Medical Institute, Houston Vet Tech Program Costs $40,000. Here Is How Its Graduates Do.
An AAS program in Houston, About 18 months, starting with the Veterinary Assistant certificate. 56.3% of its graduates passed the VTNE on the first try over Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025.
Each campus reports its own outcomes to AVMA CVTEA:
- Houston (this page): 56.3% VTNE rate, 96.8% job placement
- El Paso: 61.2% VTNE rate, 73.1% job placement
- San Antonio: 44.0% VTNE rate, 83.9% job placement
The Short Version
- Its VTNE rate (56.3%) is below the Texas program median of 70.4%.
- 96.8% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by AVMA CVTEA's measure.
- 78.0% of students who started finished the program.
- AVMA CVTEA lists this program on probation (Accredited by AVMA CVTEA (school accreditation page). Level (full, initial or probationary) not confirmed: the AVMA CVTEA list could not be read.).
- Its published cost is above 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 9.1 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. School says the total includes textbooks, lab supplies, tax, technology fee and uniforms, and combines the Veterinary Assistant and Veterinary Technician programs.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Total program cost (Veterinary Assistant 29 credits plus Veterinary Technician 48.5 credits) | $40,000 |
| Total 1 | $40,000 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Total program cost (current), undated disclosure live on school site.
Jobs and Pay in the Houston Area
About 3,570 veterinary technicians work in the Houston area. The middle half earn between $36,670 and $47,170 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 Houston Area
Compare all 2 vet tech programs in the Houston area
| Program | VTNE rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star College, Tomball AAS, Tomball | 73.2% | 71.0% | Not published |
| Pima Medical Institute, Houston (this page) AAS, Houston | 56.3% | 96.8% | $40,000 |
Program Facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- About 18 months, starting with the Veterinary Assistant certificate
- Schedule
- Blended: some instruction online, some on campus, with in-person externship
- Before you apply
- High school diploma or equivalent; students begin in the Veterinary Assistant program.
- Entrance exam
- School entrance exam with a minimum score (may be waived), plus an interview
- Accreditation
- AVMA CVTEA, Accredited by AVMA CVTEA (school accreditation page). Level (full, initial or probationary) not confirmed: the AVMA CVTEA list could not be read.
- Leads to
- Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and Texas licensure as an LVT
Sources and Dates
- Pima Medical Institute Additional Tuition Disclosure, Veterinary Technician, Total program cost (current), undated disclosure live on school site.
- Pima Medical Institute, Houston program outcomes page, School PDF 'VTNE Outcomes for 2026', campus entry updated April 11, 2026. 34 first-time candidates. Placement and graduation are annual rates for July 1, 2024 to June 30, 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