How to become a veterinary nurse
Official title: Veterinary nurses
Also called: Animal nurse, Canine nurse, Veterinary nurse, Equine veterinary nurse
Veterinary nurses assist veterinarians in the treatment and care of sick or injured animals.
Main tasks
- Assists the veterinary surgeon during surgical and medical treatments of animals
- Prepares operating theatre, sterilises equipment and assists in theatre as required
- Dispenses and administers medication and applies dressings to animals under direction from the veterinarian
- Handles animals during treatment
- Collects and analyses blood, urine and other samples
- Cares for animals in hospital accommodation and keeps accurate records
- Maintains the biosecurity of the veterinary premises
- Advises clients on preventative medicine to maintain appropriate animal health and welfare
How to become one
Entrants require GCSEs/S grades or an equivalent qualification. Entrants must obtain employment at an approved veterinary practice to gain practical experience and tuition with an employer for a minimum duration of two years. Candidates must also pass professional examinations before qualifying as a veterinary nurse.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Veterinary nurse (level 3). England. Typically 30 months. Skills England standard ST0343.
- University: Veterinary & Animal Science degrees, Offered by 6 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £28,893 a year The middle half earn £25,190 to null.
- About 21,600 people work in this job now, and about 23,700 are projected by 2035. (+10%)
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a veterinary nurse?
Entrants require GCSEs/S grades or an equivalent qualification. Entrants must obtain employment at an approved veterinary practice to gain practical experience and tuition with an employer for a minimum duration of two years. Candidates must also pass professional examinations before qualifying as a veterinary nurse.
How much does a veterinary nurse earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £28,893 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a veterinary nurse a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 21,600 to about 23,700 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a veterinary nurse?
Not always. 57% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Veterinary & Animal Science degrees; Veterinary nurse (level 3).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.