Summary
Veterinarians check for symptoms of illnesses in pets.
Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to improve public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.
Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms, work in laboratories or classrooms, or work for the government.
Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college and a state license.
The median annual wage for veterinarians was $88,490 in May 2015.
Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 9 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Candidates should expect very strong competition for available veterinarian positions, especially in companion animal care. Those with specializations and prior work experience should have the best job opportunities.
Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for veterinarians.
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of veterinarians with similar occupations.
Learn more about veterinarians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Veterinarians use x rays to diagnose animals.
Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to improve public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.
Veterinarians typically do the following:
Veterinarians treat the injuries and illnesses of pets and other animals with a variety of medical equipment, including surgical tools and x-ray and ultrasound machines. They provide treatment for animals that is similar to the services a physician provides to treat humans.
The following are examples of types of veterinarians:
Companion animal veterinarians treat pets and generally work in private clinics and hospitals. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 75 percent of veterinarians who work in private clinical practice treat pets. They most often care for cats and dogs, but also treat other pets, such as birds, ferrets, and rabbits. These veterinarians diagnose and provide treatment for animal health problems, consult with owners of animals about preventive healthcare, and carry out medical and surgical procedures, such as vaccinations, dental work, and setting fractures.
Equine veterinarians work with horses. In 2014, about 6 percent of private practice veterinarians diagnosed and treated horses.
Food animal veterinarians work with farm animals such as pigs, cattle, and sheep, which are raised to be food sources. In 2014, about 7 percent of private practice veterinarians treated food animals. They spend much of their time at farms and ranches treating illnesses and injuries and testing for and vaccinating against disease. They may advise owners or managers about feeding, housing, and general health practices.
Food safety and inspection veterinarians inspect and test livestock and animal products for major animal diseases, provide vaccines to treat animals, enhance animal welfare, conduct research to improve animal health, and enforce government food safety regulations. They design and administer animal and public health programs for the prevention and control of diseases transmissible among animals and between animals and people.
Research veterinarians work in laboratories, conducting clinical research on human and animal health problems. These veterinarians may perform tests on animals to identify the effects of drug therapies, or they may test new surgical techniques. They may also research how to prevent, control, and eliminate food- and animal-borne illnesses and diseases.
Some veterinarians become postsecondary teachers at colleges and universities.
Most veterinarians work in veterinary clinics.
Veterinarians held about 78,300 jobs in 2014, of which about 74 percent were in the veterinary services industry. Others held positions in federal, state, or local government; animal production, and in colleges and universities. About 1 in 6 veterinarians were self-employed in 2016.
Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms, work in laboratories or classrooms, or work for the government.
Veterinarians who treat horses or food animals travel between their offices and farms and ranches. They work outdoors in all kinds of weather and may have to perform surgery, often in remote locations.
Veterinarians who work in food safety and inspection travel to farms, slaughterhouses, and food-processing plants to inspect the health of animals and ensure that safety protocols are being followed by the facility.
Veterinarians who conduct research work primarily in offices and laboratories. They spend much of their time dealing with people, rather than animals.
The work can be emotionally stressful, as veterinarians deal with sick animals and the animals anxious owners. Also, the workplace can be noisy, as animals make noise when sick or being handled. Working on farms and ranches, in slaughterhouses, or with wildlife can also be physically demanding.
When working with animals that are frightened or in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked, and scratched. In addition, veterinarians working with diseased animals risk being infected by the disease.
Veterinarians often work additional hours. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.
Veterinarians can choose specialties such as companion animals or farm animals.
Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college and a state license.
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. There are currently 30 colleges with accredited programs in the United States. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.
Although not required, most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelors degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, zoology, microbiology, and animal science. Most programs also require math, humanities, and social science courses.
Admission to veterinary programs is competitive, and less than half of all applicants were accepted in 2014.
In veterinary medicine programs, students take courses on animal anatomy and physiology, as well as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Most programs include 3 years of classroom, laboratory, and clinical work. Students typically spend the final year of the 4-year program doing clinical rotations in a veterinary medical center or hospital.
Veterinarians must be licensed in order to practice in the United States. Licensing requirements vary by state, but all states require prospective veterinarians to complete an accredited veterinary program and to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. Veterinarians working for the state or federal government may not be required to have a state license, because each agency has different requirements.
Most states not only require the national exam but also have a state exam that covers state laws and regulations. Few states accept licenses from other states, so veterinarians who want to be licensed in another state usually must take that states exam.
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers certification in 40 specialties, such as surgery, microbiology, and internal medicine. Although certification is not required for veterinarians, it can show exceptional skill and expertise in a particular field. To sit for a specialty certification exam, veterinarians must have a certain number of years of experience in the field, complete additional education, and complete a residency program, typically lasting 3 to 4 years. Requirements vary by specialty.
Some veterinary medical colleges weigh experience heavily during the admissions process. Formal experience, such as previous work with veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or some area of health science, is particularly advantageous. Less formal experience, such as working with animals on a farm, at a stable, or in an animal shelter, can also be helpful.
Although graduates of a veterinary program can begin practicing once they receive their license, some veterinarians pursue further education and training. Some new veterinary graduates enter internship or residency programs to gain specialized experience.
Compassion. Veterinarians must be compassionate when working with animals and their owners. They must treat animals with kindness and respect, and must be sensitive when dealing with the animal owners.
Communication skills. Strong communication skills are essential for veterinarians, who must be able to discuss their recommendations and explain treatment options to animal owners and give instructions to their staff.
Decisionmaking skills. Veterinarians must decide the correct method for treating the injuries and illnesses of animals. For instance, deciding to euthanize a sick animal can be difficult.
Management skills. Management skills are important for veterinarians who manage private clinics or laboratories, or direct teams of technicians or inspectors. In these settings, they are responsible for providing direction, delegating work, and overseeing daily operations.
Manual dexterity. Manual dexterity is important for veterinarians, because they must control their hand movements and be precise when treating injuries and performing surgery.
Problem-solving skills. Veterinarians need strong problem-solving skills because they must figure out what is ailing animals. Those who test animals to determine the effects of drug therapies also need excellent diagnostic skills.
Median annual wages, May 2015
The median annual wage for veterinarians was $88,490 in May 2015. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $53,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $158,260.
Veterinarians often work additional hours. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.
Percent change in employment, projected 2014-24
Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 9 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Veterinarians will continue to be needed to diagnose and treat animals.
Veterinary medicine has advanced considerably. Veterinarians are able to offer more services today that are comparable to healthcare for humans, including more complicated procedures like cancer treatments and kidney transplants.
There also will be employment growth in areas such as food and animal safety, where organizations work to prevent foodborne contaminations and diseases in animals; public health, where organizations work to protect the health of an entire population; and disease control. Veterinarians will continue to be needed to inspect the food supply and to ensure animal and human health.
Candidates can expect competition for most veterinarian positions. Job seekers with a specialization and prior work experience should have the best job opportunities.
The number of new graduates from veterinary schools has increased to roughly 3,000 per year, resulting in greater competition for jobs than in recent years. Additionally, most veterinary graduates are attracted to companion animal care, so there will be fewer job opportunities in that field.
Job opportunities in farm animal care will be better, because fewer veterinarians compete to work on large animals. Also, there will be some job opportunities available in the federal government in food safety, animal health, and public health. Job opportunities will also become available as veterinarians retire opening up positions for new veterinarians.
Veterinary schools also train veterinarians for positions in other fields, such as public health, disease control, corporate sales, and population studies. With potentially fewer opportunities in companion animal care, many graduating veterinarians will likely have better job prospects in these areas.
Veterinarians
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.
Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at http://www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each states websites where these data may be retrieved.
Americas Career InfoNet includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of veterinarians.
Agricultural and food scientists research ways to improve the efficiency and safety of agricultural establishments and products.
Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals. Job tasks vary by position and place of work.
Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare. Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.
Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers look after animals in laboratories, animal hospitals, and clinics. They care for the animals by performing routine tasks under the supervision of scientists, veterinarians, and veterinary technologists and technicians.
Veterinary technologists and technicians perform medical tests under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to assist in diagnosing the injuries and illnesses of animals.
Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and other wildlife and how they interact with their ecosystems. They study the physical characteristics of animals, animal behaviors, and the impacts humans have on wildlife and natural habitats.
The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.
The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.
The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.
The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensatedannual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. This tab may also provide information on earnings in the major industries employing the occupation.
The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's Career InfoNet.
The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.
The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.
The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).
The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics survey. In May 2015, the median annual wage for all workers was $36,200.
Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.
Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.
Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.
The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2014, which is the base year of the 2014-24 employment projections.
The projected percent change in employment from 2014 to 2024. The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.
The projected numeric change in employment from 2014 to 2024.
Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.
Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.
The projected numeric change in employment from 2014 to 2024.
The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2014 to 2024.
The projected numeric change in employment from 2014 to 2024.
The projected percent change in employment from 2014 to 2024.
The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics survey. In May 2015, the median annual wage for all workers was $36,200.
More:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to Become a Veterinarian
- Does Your Dog Need Glasses? From Removing Cataracts and Performing Surgeries to Restore Vision, Veterinarians ... - PR Newswire - May 14th, 2024
- The ABCs of CBD for pets | Health | thehendersonnews.com - The Henderson News - May 14th, 2024
- Ask The Vet: Why have vet trips gotten so expensive? - Arizona Daily Sun - May 14th, 2024
- Meet the Team: Nicki Wise - Clemson News - May 14th, 2024
- Texas A&M Veterinarians Work Around The Clock To Save Newborn Foal - Texas A&M University Today - May 14th, 2024
- Just one thing: Benchmarking your team's turnover rate - American Veterinary Medical Association - May 14th, 2024
- Veterinarian Warns Of Summer Pet Threat That Burrows into the Skin - Newsweek - May 14th, 2024
- Azi Chegini and The Dogs of Otavalo Angels in Medicine - Angels in Medicine - May 14th, 2024
- The Dogs of Otavalo Angels in Medicine - Angels in Medicine - May 14th, 2024
- Evette Collaborates With Shepherd Software for First-Ever Solution Aimed to Solve the Veterinary Industry Shortage - Business Wire - May 14th, 2024
- Auburn Veterinarian and Animal Health Researcher Weigh In on HPAI A (H5N1) - Bovine Veterinarian - May 14th, 2024
- Health-related quality of life assessment tool for cats with hyperthyroidism - DVM 360 - May 14th, 2024
- Veterinary innovation and AVMA Convention 2024 - American Veterinary Medical Association - May 5th, 2024
- Helping Cats Stand Up To Pillow Foot - Texas A&M Today - Texas A&M University Today - May 5th, 2024
- New Study Dispels Myth That Purebred Dogs Are More Prone To Health Problems - Texas A&M University Today - May 5th, 2024
- Veterinary care, animal hospitals are more scarce. That's bad for pets (and their owners) - USA TODAY - May 5th, 2024
- New Study Busts Long-Believed Myth About the Health of Purebred Dogs - Parade Pets - May 5th, 2024
- CSU breaks ground on Veterinary Health and Education Complex - Source - May 5th, 2024
- New record program aims to improve access of care - DVM 360 - May 5th, 2024
- WSU expected to care for a record number of injured wildlife this year, asking the community for donations and support - NBC Right Now - May 5th, 2024
- Unveiling the Secrets of Veterinary Success: Dive into the Latest Issue of Business by Vet Candy! - Vet Candy - May 5th, 2024
- Canine Educators Help Lift Spirits and Support on Purdue Day of Giving - Purdue University - May 5th, 2024
- CSU to break ground Thursday on expanded veterinary school BizWest - BizWest - May 5th, 2024
- COVETRUS OPENS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR ... - StreetInsider.com - May 5th, 2024
- Trainer reveals why your dog will never be fully trained and it makes so much sense! - AOL - May 5th, 2024
- Nonprofit raising money to save dogs in need of lifesaving medical treatment - Sunbury Daily Item - May 5th, 2024
- What is an endoscopy and how can it help your pet? | Ask Dr. Kait - Hanford Sentinel - May 5th, 2024
- Morehead State Veterinary Technology program ranked 13th in nation, #1 in state - Morehead State University News - April 25th, 2024
- veterinary medicine summary | Britannica - April 25th, 2024
- Veterinary Viewpoints: Severe weather and pets - Oklahoma State University - April 25th, 2024
- Clinic center: New hospitals opening across the nation - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Cancer test launches within US and European veterinary clinics - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Tracking tool is launched on the first parvovirus awareness day - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- CFMV highlights the urgency of regulating air and road transport of animals - Aeroflap - April 25th, 2024
- Business Memoranda: 04/24/2024 | the BIZ | record-eagle.com - Traverse City Record Eagle - April 25th, 2024
- Wrap up: Animal health company responds to safety concerns over OA drug, and other veterinary news - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Teams-up with Lafayette School Corporation through The League of ... - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- ImpriMed to Showcase Groundbreaking AI Research and Applications at Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in ... - Business Wire - April 16th, 2024
- The hardest job in a hospital (according to a veterinarian) - DVM 360 - April 16th, 2024
- Dangers Of Humans Taking Animal Drugs And Vice Versa - Forbes - April 16th, 2024
- Dyer honored at commissioners meeting - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune - April 16th, 2024
- LSU Vet Med releases male bald eagle that was hit by car in October - WGNO New Orleans - April 16th, 2024
- What Killed Their Pets? Owners Blame Meds, but Vets Aren't Sure - The Wall Street Journal - April 16th, 2024
- 10 best practices to steward a healthy relationship with your veterinarian - Ag Proud - April 16th, 2024
- PVM Faculty Promotions Approved by Purdue University Board of Trustees - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- Paws Up - brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- States begin to restrict cattle imports from those with influenza cases - American Veterinary Medical Association - April 16th, 2024
- What does a veterinarian do? - CareerExplorer - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary Medicine Overview - CareerExplorer - March 29th, 2024
- Cats with MDR1 mutation at risk of severe reactions to popular medication - WSU News - March 29th, 2024
- Animal chaplains offer spiritual care for every species - The Associated Press - March 29th, 2024
- Loki's Leap: The Golden Retriever who overcame the odds with groundbreaking care - Virginia Tech - March 29th, 2024
- 6 in 10 pet owners surveyed in the UK, Austria and Denmark believe their pets should have access to the same healthcare treatment options as humans -... - March 29th, 2024
- Protecting Puppies From Parvovirus - Texas A&M Today - Texas A&M University Today - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary Medicine in the Digital Age - Boehringer Ingelheim - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary surgeon: Spare flat-faced pets the respiratory distress - Phys.org - March 29th, 2024
- AMC expands offerings with enhanced surgical suite - American Veterinary Medical Association - March 29th, 2024
- A soul killer: whats behind the USs critical veterinarian shortage? - The Guardian - February 27th, 2024
- Sneak peek: Humane Society International and Ukrainian Red Cross has helped over 100,000 pets in Ukraine, and ... - DVM 360 - February 27th, 2024
- Most veterinarians are women, but they still face sexism in rural areas where theyre most needed - IPM Newsroom - February 27th, 2024
- SA Gets its Largest CT Scanner for Veterinary Practice and Studies - Good Things Guy - February 27th, 2024
- Inside the Lab Part 2: How DNA researchers are helping crack animal cruelty cases - FOX 35 Orlando - February 27th, 2024
- This University Is Set To Become Just The Second HBCU In The Country To Train Veterinarians - Essence - February 27th, 2024
- USDA offers Grants for veterinarians in designated areas of Virginia - Yahoo News - February 10th, 2024
- Curing Pets With Cannabis as Veterinarians Try CBD and THC - The New York Times - February 10th, 2024
- New emergency vet clinic in Northern Liberties lets owners stay with pet - NBC 10 Philadelphia - February 10th, 2024
- The interview - DVM 360 - February 10th, 2024
- Veterinarians, State Ag Directors Champion Rural Veterinary Workforce Act - DTN The Progressive Farmer - February 10th, 2024
- USDA offers Grants for veterinarians in designated areas of Virginia - WFXRtv.com - February 10th, 2024
- Rural Veterinarians Headed to DC for AVMA Legislative Fly-In - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST - AGInfo Ag Information Network - February 10th, 2024
- MJ Wixsom: Emotional blackmail against veterinarians - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune - February 10th, 2024
- NAVC honors 2023 Speakers of the Year - DVM 360 - January 25th, 2024
- Steve Adubato speaks with the dean of Rowan University's first School of Veterinary Medicine - ROI-NJ.com - January 25th, 2024
- Texas A&M Veterinary Clinical Trial Gives Tabby Cat With Chronic Kidney Disease A Second Chance At Life - Texas A&M University Today - January 25th, 2024
- 4th generation takes the reins as Albany veterinary hospital celebrates 90 years of service - OregonLive - January 25th, 2024
- Synovial extramedullary hematopoiesis in a dog in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - Ahead of ... - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- Xanthogranulomatous keratitis in a mixed-breed dog in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association ... - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- C-reactive protein concentration has limited value in the diagnosis of meningoencephalitis of unknown origin in dogs - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- Veterinary profession heading in right direction with mental health - American Veterinary Medical Association - January 25th, 2024
- Veterinarian shortage in Yakima Valley can make it harder to find animal care - Yakima Herald-Republic - January 25th, 2024