Veterinary Technician
65 Credit Associate DegreeProgram Description
The Veterinary Technician Associate Degree program will prepare learners with the skills necessary to provide medical and nursing care for a variety of animal species including dogs, cats, cattle, birds, pigs, small mammals, horses and reptiles. Classroom instruction is combined with hands-on learning opportunities to expose learners to the essential functions and skills they will need to be successful in this career. Learners will have the opportunity to work closely with the NTC dairy farm operation and take several classes concentrating on dairy medicine and will also complete an internship in a veterinary practice to apply their learning in real world situations. Jobs in this field are generally physical and require the strength to lift and carry 50 pounds. Learners interested in this career should have a strong background in biological sciences. Additionally, learners looking to be successful in this occupation should have the aptitude to work with animals, possess good oral and written communication skills, and have excellent analytical and critical thinking skills.
This program may require a Criminal Background Check and/or Health Record
Acceptance to Northcentral Technical College will not be denied based on a criminal background or health record.
Found in These Career Fields:
Approximate Program Cost
$13,154
Tuition & Fees:
$11,192
Books & Supplies: $1,962
Books & Supplies: $1,962
Starting Salary
$28,000–$32,100
Average,
according to Economic Modeling Specialists International
Financial Aid
Available
Total financial aid offered may not exceed the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA).
Media from the Veterinary Technician Program
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Availability
Courses for this program may be available at a variety of campus locations through multiple modes of delivery if you meet the admission requirements and prerequisites.
* Campus and online availability of courses and programs may be subject to change.
Outcomes
Graduates will be able to…
- Manage veterinary business functions
- Administer prescribed and therapeutic medications
- Perform laboratory procedures
- Produce diagnostic images
- Integrate all aspects of patient management for medical nursing procedures
- Demonstrate patient management for anesthetic, surgical, and dental nursing procedures
Careers
Some of the potential careers graduates can pursue are:
- Emergency Veterinary Technician
- Veterinary Technician
- Veterinary Assistant
Courses
The Veterinary Technician Associate Degree is a 65 Credit program. In addition to our full-time option that begins in the fall, we offer a full-time option that begins in the spring. To best prepare students to begin this program in either the fall or spring semester, three foundational courses must be completed prior to beginning the program.
Fall Start
Year 1
Year 2
Spring Start
Year 1
Year 2
* College 101 (10-890-165) is not part of the program credit requirements but is a College Requirement for graduation that must be passed with a “C” or better.
Credit for Prior Learning Available
View All Detailed Course Information
Accreditation
The Veterinary Technician Program at Northcentral Technical College has been granted Initial Accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), effective January 26th, 2023. Graduates from the program are eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and the Wisconsin state exam to become Certified Veterinary Technicians.
Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) Pass Rates
| Dates | Number of First-Time Candidates That Have Taken the VTNE | Three-year VTNE Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2024 | 29 | 51.72% |
Transfer Information
All associate degrees transfer to a variety of programs at other partner colleges to give you the opportunity to continue your education in other areas of study.
View all transfer guides
Cost of Attendance
2024–2025 Estimated Academic Year Budgeted Cost of Attendance
The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is a budget that includes categories of expenses that a student can expect to incur while attending college. The COA does not reflect actual charges. It is an average based on the estimated living costs typical of our region. In determining the cost of attendance, Northcentral Technical College uses the budget established by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Financial Aid Budget Work Group. This budget is used to determine financial need for all students who apply for financial aid. A student's cost of attendance is composed of all educational expenses that can be included for financial aid purposes that a student may accrue while pursuing their education for the year (or semester, if enrolled less than a year). A student's financial aid cannot exceed their cost of attendance. Schools are required to provide a fuller picture of what it may cost students to pursue their degree, not just what they will owe in tuition/fees and books/supplies.
| Expenses | Student Living With Parents (Home) | Student Living on Own (Other) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time Tuition (based on a total of 30 credits, 15 credits fall and 15 credits spring) |
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| Living Expenses (Housing & Food) | $3,008 | $9,147 | ||
| Books / Supplies | $1,465 | $1,465 | ||
| Transportation | $4,017 | $4,017 | ||
| Personal Expenses | $3,608 | $3,608 | ||
| Loan Fees | $85 | $85 | ||
| Total Estimated Cost Of Attendance |
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* Tuition listed is based on approved rates for the 2024–2025 academic year. Rates are approved each March by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and estimated budgets are updated at that time.
For the 2024–2025 academic year, the Wisconsin Resident tuition rate is $149.50 per credit and Out-of-State resident tuition is $224.25 per credit.
For the 2024–2025 academic year, Student Fees include: a minimum $5.00 material fee and a $13.15 per credit activity fee. A $4.00 per semester insurance fee will be assessed to students taking at least one course which has a scheduled session on campus.
Students awarded Federal Direct Loan(s) also have an average of the mandatory loan fees automatically added to their COA.
Students with disability-related expenses may contact the Financial Aid Office to have their additional expenses considered. Disability-related expenses include but are not limited to: personal assistance, equipment, and supplies. The Financial Aid Office may potentially include disability expenses in the COA that are not provided by other assisting agencies.
NTC also offers a Net Price Calculator to help estimate costs.
For more information regarding billed tuition and fees visit https://www.ntc.edu/admissions/tuition-fees
We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how the financial aid process works. Please feel free to reach out for more information.
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NTC Financial Aid Office
- 715.803.1647
- financialaid@ntc.edu
Admissions Process
Our application process takes just a few minutes to complete, but we want to make sure you have the things you’ll need on hand to complete the application. We’re here to help if you have any questions while submitting your application.
Before you apply, you should know
- This program requires a Health Record. Acceptance to Northcentral Technical College will not be denied based on a health record, however, documentation is required prior to the start of core Veterinary Technician program courses.
- After admission to the college, you will be considered a pre-veterinary technician student. Students are eligible to submit a financial aid application at this point and can work to complete general education and prerequisite courses as laid out in the program curriculum. Students interested in beginning the core veterinary technician program courses will complete an updated core program admissions process (beginning April 1, 2025).
- Completion of both biology and chemistry courses is strongly recommended prior to beginning this program.
- The majority of the courses in this program take place at NTC’s Agriculture Center of Excellence, located at 6625 County Road K, Wausau, WI.
Fill out our application
The application can be submitted online and takes just a few minutes to complete. There is no fee to apply.
Apply NowThen, submit one of the following
Documentation can be sent via email to admissions@ntc.edu, via mail, addressed to: Northcentral Technical College, ATTN: Admissions, 1000 W. Campus Drive, Wausau, WI 54401, or delivered in person to any NTC campus.
- High school transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. Contact the high school you attended if you do not have a copy of your transcript.
- ACT composite score of 18 or above. Request an ACT College Report from ACT or contact the high school you graduated from if you do not have a copy on hand.
- Accuplacer scores. Score requirements vary by program and version of the Accuplacer test that was taken. For more details, please contact Admissions. If you did not take the Accuplacer at NTC, contact the college at which you took it to obtain a copy of your scores.
- College transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 over a minimum of 12 credits, earned at a single college.
If you do not meet any one of the above criteria, don’t worry, complete the application anyway and we will contact you to discuss your options.
What’s Next?
We’ll review your application and let you know if we need anything else. If you’re all set, your acceptance letter will be emailed to you.