AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 29-2056.00

Will AI replace Veterinary Technologists and Technicians?

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians: AI can already handle 3 of 31 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 31 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Fill prescriptions, measuring medications and labeling containers. 90 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Collect, prepare, and label samples for laboratory testing, culture, or microscopic examination. 90 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Provide information or counseling regarding issues such as animal health care, behavior problems, or nutrition. 65 Observed Frontier 4.1
Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted. 55 Estimated Standard 4.8
Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery. 55 Estimated Standard 4.8
Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems. 55 Estimated Standard 4.7
Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Provide veterinarians with the correct equipment or instruments, as needed. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Observe the behavior and condition of animals and monitor their clinical symptoms. 55 Estimated Standard 4.5
Give enemas and perform catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Prepare animals for surgery, performing such tasks as shaving surgical areas. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Discuss medical health of pets with clients, such as post-operative status. 55 Estimated Standard 4.4
Clean kennels, animal holding areas, surgery suites, examination rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Prepare treatment rooms for surgery. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Dress and suture wounds and apply splints or other protective devices. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Provide assistance with animal euthanasia and the disposal of remains. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Schedule appointments and procedures for animals. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Monitor medical supplies and place orders when inventory is low. 55 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Perform a variety of office, clerical, or accounting duties, such as reception, billing, bookkeeping, or selling products. 55 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Bathe animals, clip nails or claws, and brush or cut animals' hair. 55 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Conduct specialized procedures, such as animal branding or tattooing or hoof trimming. 55 Estimated Efficient 3.2
Take and develop diagnostic radiographs, using x-ray equipment. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Restrain animals during exams or procedures. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Supervise or train veterinary students or other staff members. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Maintain laboratory, research, or treatment records, as well as inventories of pharmaceuticals, equipment, or supplies. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Maintain instruments, equipment, or machinery to ensure proper working condition. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians. 10 Estimated No tier 4.7
Take animals into treatment areas and assist with physical examinations by performing such duties as obtaining temperature, pulse, or respiration data. 10 Estimated No tier 4.4

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 31 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 30 of 31. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 84% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 93% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 7% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
129,140
Median annual wage
$47,380
Middle half of earners
$38,910 to $57,650
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+9.1%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Veterinary Technologists and Technicians and AI

Will AI replace Veterinary Technologists and Technicians?

AI already handles 3 of the 31 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 50 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +9.1% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Veterinary Technologists and Technicians?

50 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 1 of the 31 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 30 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Veterinary Technologists and Technicians tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Fill prescriptions, measuring medications and labeling containers; Collect, prepare, and label samples for laboratory testing, culture, or microscopic examination; Provide information or counseling regarding issues such as animal health care, behavior problems, or nutrition. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 84% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, and what do they earn?

129,140 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $47,380 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +9.1% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Veterinary Technologists and Technicians. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/veterinary-technologists-and-technicians

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