Another licensed tech here for over 15 years. I worked in a very busy practice for over 14 years. We had 6 full time Dr.'s, were AAHA certified, had a client base of over 200,000, and sometimes would see more emergencies in one day than the actual ER clinic did in a week. So please don't take this as being harsh, but just having a love for animals won't cut it in this field. As others have said it's not hugging puppies and kittens all day. Matter of fact you can get to the point where you no longer think puppies and kittens are cute. Most days I'd been peed on or worse by 9am. On a good day I got to leave work in the same scrubs I showed up in, and that was rare. You will see things you never thought possible. I know it's not the same in every area or every clinic but where I worked I have personally treated 5 different animals intentionally set on fire in the 14 years I was there. I have seen dogs and puppies beaten half to death, but we couldn't actually prove the owner did it so we had to fix them up and send them back home. I have had a chihuahua hanging from my bleeding finger while the owner actually laughed at what a tough little guy he was. Working with animals gives you the chance to really get a good look at what horrible things humans are capable of.
The actual degree is 2 full years and one summer internship, on top of the prereq. courses. The downside to training online and just having hands on in one clinic during the online training is the only real exposure you are getting is from that particular clinic. By actually going to school you are trained to do things the "correct" way , and can transfer that knowledge to any career you are eligible for. When you do your school online and just work at one clinic you are trained on what works for that particular clinic and not a general knowledge. In school you will have access to most of the latest equipment and you sure aren't going to find that in most vet clinics. In my area vet techs are those that have done the schooling and received the degree. Vet assistants are trained on the job and do not have the degree. It's really up to the vet's decision on who can do what, sure there's state laws but at the end of the day it's usually the vet in charge that says if you can or can't do something. At one clinic I worked at I was nothing more than a glorified receptionist and couldn't even place an IV cath. At another clinic the vet was willing to train me to do cat neuters. I politely declined of course because I could lose my license for performing surgery. The basic rule of thumb is as a tech you are not allowed to do surgery, write prescriptions and diagnose patients. Anything past that is up to the vet in charge.
As for the pay...In a small or rural practice you will be lucky to make that 30K. 24K would be more like it or around $10-$12 an hour to start. What is being neglected to be mentioned is you aren't only qualified to work in a vet clinic. With your degree you can choose to specialize as a tech in areas such as critical care, behavior, anestetic, and dental care. This doesn't mean your boss will pay you more but if you look for a career with a specialty practice at some point this extra training in a certain field can earn you more pay and better chances at getting that job. You can work in research. You will start out as a mouse counter but can quickly and easily work you way into upper management and earn a salary of around 60-70K a year or more. You can also work for human pharmacies as a lab tech or assistant because you will have a large amount of pharmacology training when you graduate as a tech. Other possibilities are available and pay better than your basic small animal vet. BTW the local zoo here has a tech internship during the summer, but the pay is awful.
Things to ask yourself are what do you want? If you want to explore areas of the vet tech degree besides working in a small animal practice I would suggest you find a program where you can actually attend classes and put your hands on their animals and equipment. You will be hands on trained not only on dogs and cats, but also horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, birds, lizards, rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs and a basic overview of primate work. You will have to have a strong basic knowledge of the physiology of each of these animals and the different breeds of each critter. The classwork is hard and difficult. Classes are limited to a certain number so not everyone that applies gets in. At least that's how it is at the program I went through. About 200 people apply each year and only 28 get in. By the end of the program there will only be around 20 in that class. Normally 5-8 students drop out before graduation. In my class of 28, 24 of us graduated. At our 10 year reunion only 6 of us were still working in the veterinary field. Most had burned out. It's a rough job that takes its toll on your mind and body and is not for everyone.
If this is what you really want to do I think shadowing not just one, but at least 2 different clinics would be a good idea. Make sure you ask to shadow a tech and not a Dr. There's often a big difference between what the techs and dr's. do. If you don't mind the way you smell by the time you leave for the day and you're still interested look into programs. More and more are showing up in this country, just make sure it's a accredited program or you might not be eligible to take your national and state boards.
Just as an FYI I lived and breathed being a vet tech for over 15 years. I had a great amount of pride in what I did and what I could do as a tech. I can put an IV cath in just about anything with a heartbeat, and I've also been known to put IV caths in several things without heartbeats to help bring them back. The job can totally absorb you at times and it can become a big part of who you are as a person. Most good techs I know really aren't right, there's something wrong with many of us, and there has to be in order to do what we do.
You will meet some wonderful coworkers and have a strong bond with them. You honestly will shed blood, sweat and tears with your coworkers and that makes for an amazing work place at times.
I burned out this last July. It was due to being sold to a corporate company and not the work. I'm still a tech at heart and once I'm done taking my breather I'm sure I'll head right back into the trenches.