If you care about helping people and their pets, are detail-oriented and knowledgeable about office procedures and software programs, and possess fantastic interpersonal skills, then a career as a veterinary office manager could be a perfect fit for you.
As a veterinary office manager, your sphere of influence ensures that your territory—the office—runs smoothly.
Duties include scheduling appointments, billing, and helping supervise office staff.
Candidates also support veterinarians/clinical staff caring for furred, finned, and fanged clients.
Vet office managers work in pet clinics, animal hospitals, labs, animal rescue organizations, and more!
This position rewards those with strong interpersonal and communication skills, including “soft skills” such as compassion, care, and calm.
Page Navigation
- Vet Office Manager Duties in Louisiana
- Licensing Requirements to Become a Vet Office Manager in Louisiana
- Certified Veterinary Practice Manager Certification
- Veterinary Office Manager Programs in Louisiana
- Salary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- I’m preparing for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) exam. Is there a fee?
- The Bayou State loves its wildlife -and not just on Bourbon Street! What are some popular animal companions in Louisiana?
- If I want to be a veterinary office manager in Louisiana, what career options are open to me?
Vet Office Manager Duties in Louisiana
The veterinary office manager guarantees that everything runs well while creating, implementing, and coordinating administrative processes.
As the office linchpin, candidates must be great with details because the position entails handling financial records, processing insurance and budgets, and ensuring that the office meets (or exceeds!) veterinary rules, regulations, and laws.
The position involves managing patient account services, including receivables/billing, inventory, scheduling, and supplies.
The role demands that candidates have excellent problem-solving skills and be patient with pets and their people.
Licensing Requirements to Become a Vet Office Manager in Louisiana
The usual way to begin a career—or, some might say, a vocation as a veterinary office manager- starts with education.
And a high school degree or equivalency is needed to begin the process.
The next step is enrolling in a certificate course to gain confidence and skills, or another path is through earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
The next part of the equation for getting your first job in the industry is experience.
While employers would prefer 1–2 years of office management or vet experience, training, volunteering, references, and opportunities can all help get that all-important first job.
Certified Veterinary Practice Manager Certification
Earning the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association’s (VHMA) Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) certification gives candidates an edge with experience, skills, and confidence, and that’s a good thing.
- 18 semester hours of courses.
- Continuing ed courses (48 hours)
- 3 Years of employment in the field
- Letters of recommendation
Veterinary Office Manager Programs in Louisiana
Northwestern State University (NSU)
NSU’s Vet Tech program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Center for Veterinary Education Accreditation (AVMA-CVTEA).
It’s part of the School of Biological and Physical Sciences.
Candidates have a choice: pursue an associate degree or earn a Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in veterinary technology.
Contact Information
- 175 Sam Sibley Dr, Natchitoches, LA 71497
- 318–357–6011
- https://www.nsula.edu/nsus-accredited-vet-tech-program-growing-meeting-job-demands/
University of Louisiana, Lafayette
Veterinary Office Manager (online)
This online course lays the foundations, teaching candidates, among other topics, how to maintain information/records management/space planning, and implement ongoing technology.
Open enrollment and self-paced.
After a student registers, there’s an 18-month window to finish the course.
https://careerpathways.louisiana.edu/training-programs/veterinary-office-manager/
Veterinary Assistant (online)
As any cow knows, there are many ways to enter the field!
The field of veterinary assistance can lead to a management role as a vet office manager.
Students learn anatomy/physiology, laboratory procedures, emergency care, human-animal bonds, pharmacy procedures, and more.
Phone: 855 520 6806
https://careerpathways.louisiana.edu/training-programs/veterinary-assistant/
Technician Training/ New Iberia Research Center
Veterinary resource technicians assist veterinarians with hands-on animal care.
Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) courses offer preparation for certifying exams offered through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).
Contact Information
- New Iberia Research Center
- P.O. Box 13610
- New Iberia, LA 70562–3610
- (337) 482–1000 | webmaster@louisiana.edu
Delgado Community College
Candidates can take a Veterinary Assistant Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS) Program or enter the Veterinary Technology Associate Degree Program (A.A.S.), accredited through the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).
Contact Information
- 615 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
- 504–671–5000
- https://www.dcc.edu/
Louisiana State University — Shreveport (Division of Continuing Education)
Veterinary Office Manager Training Program: For those who know they want to express their love of animals through the administrative side of the business, here’s an opportunity to learn the skills to thrive.
This online course prepares students for the managerial side of the animal care industry.
Contact Information
- One University Pl, Shreveport, LA 71115
- https://www.lsu.edu/
- 318–787–5000
Penn Foster College
Veterinary Practice Management Certificate Program
This online/accredited/self-paced 19-credit-hour course meets the educational requirements for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) program offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA).
https://www.pennfoster.edu/programs/veterinary/veterinary-practice-management-certificate
Top 5 Schools in Louisiana
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Northwestern State University (NSU) | 175 Sam Sibley Dr, Natchitoches, LA 71497 |
| University of Louisiana, Lafayette | 104 E University Ave, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA |
| Delgado Community College | 615 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119 |
| Louisiana State University — Shreveport (Division of Continuing Education) | Technology Building, 1 University Pl, Shreveport, LA 71115, United States |
| Penn Foster College | 200 Hickory Street, Scranton, PA 18505 USA |
Salary
A vet office manager in Louisiana earns around $83,521 a year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Vet Office Managers in Louisiana
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Alexandria | $74,743 |
| Lafayette | $77,115 |
| New Orleans | $81,322 |
| Shreveport | $78,276 |
| Baton Rouge | $81,040 |
| Monroe | $75,929 |
| La Place | $80,631 |
| Bossier City | $78,276 |
| Kenner | $81,279 |
| New Iberia | $76,663 |
Regional Salary in Louisiana
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LA | 60 | $100,120 | $48.13 | $152,050 | $54,370 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | ** | $102,920 | $49.48 | $156,580 | $59,990 |
| Hammond, LA | 50 | $83,240 | $40.02 | $118,030 | $47,120 |
| Houma-Thibodaux, LA | 80 | $100,880 | $48.5 | $167,240 | $56,660 |
| Lafayette, LA | 140 | $91,690 | $44.08 | $143,870 | $57,020 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 50 | $105,100 | $50.53 | $153,200 | $58,160 |
| Monroe, LA | 80 | $96,180 | $46.24 | $145,700 | $53,040 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | ** | $112,870 | $54.26 | $162,250 | $62,680 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 240 | $80,370 | $38.64 | $125,520 | $48,010 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m preparing for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) exam. Is there a fee?
Yes.
The fee is $675 for Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) members and $825 for non-members.
The Bayou State loves its wildlife -and not just on Bourbon Street! What are some popular animal companions in Louisiana?
Pet ownership is a matter of pride in the Bayou State, with 44.6 households owning for team dog and 26 percent cohabitating with a cat.
In a state synonymous with water, 2.7 Louisiana households give a fish a roof, while .2 of the households have horses in stables.
If I want to be a veterinary office manager in Louisiana, what career options are open to me?
Options to work as a vet office manager in Louisiana include animal hospitals, clinics, rescue organizations, labs, emergency facilities, and more!
