Veterinary Technician Schools in Missouri

CVTEA-Accredited Programs in Missouri

As mentioned in the introduction, 11 percent of vet techs nationwide hold associate degrees (O*NET 2024). In Missouri, it is advisable to seek out a program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). The CVTEA is the gold standard in vet tech program accreditation, and while graduating from one of these programs isn’t mandatory to qualify for professional registration in the state, the board has the sole authority to decide whether or not a non-AVMA program qualifies one for credentialing. To learn more about how programs are accredited, please visit the final section of this article.

Luckily for aspiring vet techs in Missouri, there are currently four CVTEA-accredited programs in the state.

Crowder College of Neosho offers an accredited AAS program in veterinary technology. This 78-credit-hour program takes place on a campus well-designed for aspiring vet techs, including more than 300 acres of farmland, several barns with corrals, an indoor kennel for small animals, and an outdoor dog kennel. The Agricultural Science Center also offers surgery, anatomy lab x-ray, and field technology.

Applicants must have completed prerequisites and observed or worked with a licensed veterinarian for at least 20 hours. Courses include farm animal health; radiology and electronic procedures; chemistry for health sciences; laboratory animal/avian technology; large animal medicine/surgery; and more. Students also participate in labs and two clinical experiences, as well as a board review. Seventy percent of this program’s graduates between 2020 and 2023 passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) on their first attempt.

Jefferson College offers another CVTEA-accredited AAS degree in veterinary technology. Courses in this program include applied pharmacology; microbiology for the health sciences; principles of clinical medicine; veterinary hospital technology; applied radiology; large animal technology; and more. Students also complete a capstone course and a clinical internship. Graduates have a first-time pass rate on the VTNE of 54.55 percent between 2020 and 2023.

Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods of Kansas City also offers an associate of applied science (AAS) in veterinary technology. MCCKC has had AVMA accreditation since 1975 and hosts clinical experiences with 12 distinct animal species in its competitive program.

Courses include laboratory animal technology; veterinary hospital technology; radiology and electronic procedures; clinical pathology techniques; veterinary practice management; and more. Students also complete a preceptorship during the program. Impressively, 94.3 percent of MCCKC’s graduates between 2020 and 2023 passed the VTNE on their first attempt.

Midwest Institute in Fenton, MO, offers a very hands-on associate of occupational science (AOS) veterinary technician program. Upon graduation, students are able to administer anesthesia to animals, prepare them for surgery, administer medications and vaccines, provide nursing and emergency care to patients, take x-rays, and more.

Courses include public health and parasitology; medical business; veterinary office computing; employment preparation; applied veterinary pharmacology; and more. In addition to labs, students complete a veterinary assisting internship. The program is designed to be completed in 64 weeks. Between 2020 and 2023, 62.26 percent of those who completed the Midwest Institute AOS program passed the VTNE on their first try.

Moberly Area Community College

MACC was awarded AVMA accreditation in February 2023 for their veterinary technology AAS degree. Although VTNE pass rates are not yet available, the program had to have a minimum of 50 percent to be accredited. The college partners with the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine to provide students with additional hands-on experience. The hybrid format allows working students to attend lectures online while completing their laboratory work in person. Graduates will have an understanding of companion and large animal diseases and the ability to assess and implement care, have effective interpersonal skills, be able to perform laboratory procedures, and perform veterinary nursing procedures accurately.

Students must complete specified pre-professional coursework before enrolling in the AAS program. The program coursework includes chemistry, clinical mathematics, small animal nursing, veterinary anatomy and physiology, microbiology, clinical pathology, veterinary pharmacology, veterinary anesthesia and analgesics, surgical nursing, equine nursing, laboratory and exotic animal medicine, and diagnostic imaging, among others. Students complete a clinical practicum between semesters.

Distance-based Vet Tech Prograns

While some prospective veterinary technicians may prefer the more traditional brick-and-mortar experience of a college program, others with time commitments or those who live in rural regions may need more access to an on-campus program.

Fortunately, there are also several CVTEA-accredited online programs in veterinary technology. These typically combine rigorous web-based coursework and in-person clinical practicums to be completed at a facility close to a student’s home. As skills are acquired, a supervisor—generally a licensed veterinarian—signs off on a student’s capabilities.

Colby Community College of Kansas provides a distance-learning veterinary nursing program that involves classes such as veterinary immunology, parasitology, pharmacology, hematology, imaging, clinical chemistry, large animal clinical procedures, and veterinary cytology. For a preceptor to qualify for the clinical portion of a student’s training, it must have at least one licensed veterinarian on staff who is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Notably, 82.35 percent of distance learning students passed the VTNE exam on their first attempt between 2019 and 2022. Please note that students must complete several prerequisite courses to qualify (e.g., biology), a list of which is available on Colby’s website.

Another option is the online associate in science (AS) available at St. Petersburg College of Florida. Courses include small animal breeds & behavior; animal physiology; animal nursing; anesthesia; veterinary medical terminology; animal emergency medicine; large animal diseases; and avian & exotic pet medicine. Notably, 80 percent of graduates passed the VTNE on their first attempt between 2020 and 2023.

To learn more about the distance-based programs in veterinary technology, please visit the main online vet tech programs page.

Demand for Vet Techs in Missouri

For Missouri residents interested in a career in animal healthcare, there is excellent news: this is a high-growth professional field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2023), there will be an anticipated 21 percent increase in job openings between 2022 and 2032 for veterinary technicians nationwide. This figure is seven times the average growth expected across all occupations in that time period (3 percent).

With a projected growth rate of 21 percent between 2022 and 2032, CareerOneStop (2024)—an affiliate of the US Department of Labor—adds that vet techs occupy the fastest growing career in MO for people with associate degrees.

Where Do Vet Techs in Missouri Work?

Veterinary technicians in MO can seek employment in many environments including veterinary hospitals, clinics, farms, zoos, animal rescue centers, government regulatory agencies, biomedical research labs, universities, specialty clinics (e.g., avian, equine), aquariums, animal control facilities, shelters, kennels, and wildlife centers.

While some vet techs in MO work typical business hours, others may be called upon to work evenings, holidays, or weekends to serve the needs of their veterinary patients, particularly those seeking emergency treatment or recovering from surgery.

iHireVeterinary has posted job opportunities for MO vet techs in areas such as Springfield. Kansas City, Liberty, Bridgeton, Saint Louis, Wentzville, and Cape Girardeau, among others. Indeed (2024) listed openings at Kersting Veterinary Hospital, Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary, Creve Coeur Animal Hospital, Elm Point Animal Hospital, Callaway County Small Animal Veterinary Clinic, Aurora Animal Clinic, Hometown Veterinary Hospital, and more. In sum, there’s no shortage of employment opportunities in this state.

Finally, some MO vet techs choose to become veterinary technician specialists (VTS) to enhance their career opportunities. The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) recognizes several academies that offer professional certification across subfields of veterinary technology such as anesthesia & analgesia, animal behavior, clinical pathology, dentistry, equine nursing, emergency & critical care, nutrition, internal medicine, and zoological medicine. To become a VTS, candidates typically need at least 1,000 hours of experience in a specialized discipline and pass a comprehensive exam. To learn in detail how to become a VTS, check out the vet tech careers page.

How Much Do Vet Techs Make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for the 118,750 vet techs in the U.S. as of May 2022 was $40,770. In the same year, the 1,770 vet techs in Missouri made an average annual salary of $37,480—nearly 9 percent less than the national average. To put this salary into perspective, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2024) found that MO is the sixth most affordable state in the US, boasting savings across every category, with deep savings in housing.

Here is how vet tech salaries in Missouri compare to national averages (BLS May 2022):

Missouri Vet Tech Registration – How to Become an RVT

In the Show-Me State, veterinary technicians must be registered before practice. The main credentialing authority is the Missouri Veterinary Medical Boar, which requires the following from candidates for vet tech registration:

• Completed application with fee
• Official transcripts from a school accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) or a program otherwise approved by the Board
• Two passport-style photos
• Official VTNE scores (minimum 425 points)
• Signed employment verification
• Passing scores on the Missouri State Board Examination (minimum 70 percent)

Finally, to maintain active status as a registered veterinary technician (RVT), candidates must renew their registration annually by November 30th after completing at least five hours of continuing education (CE). In addition to qualifying in-person events, seminars, and conferences, there are online CE opportunities available at:

• VetMedTeam
• Veterinary Support Personnel Network (VSPN)
• VetBloom

Vet Tech Program Accreditation

As mentioned in the discussion of programs, the gold standard for vet tech program accreditation in MO and nationwide is the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA). The CVTEA evaluates several factors in its program approval process, including:

• Student outcomes (e.g., VTNE first-time pass rates among graduates)
• School & program finances
• Organizational effectiveness
• Quality of facilities
• Clinical practicum opportunities
• Availability of libraries & student resources (e.g., campus groups)
• Admissions criteria
• Quality of faculty & staff
• Curriculum

To learn more about the veterinary technician program accreditation process, please visit the CVTEA accreditation standards page.