by our College Data Analytics TeamLearn the essential details every small/companion animal surgery and medicine. major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering small/companion animal surgery and medicine. programs.
In the U.S., small/companion animal surgery and medicine. draws strong interest, with 3 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine. Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for small/companion animal surgery and medicine. students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of small/companion animal surgery and medicine. programs later in this article.
Coursework for Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine. develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations small/companion animal surgery and medicine. graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a small/companion animal surgery and medicine. program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a small/companion animal surgery and medicine. major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several small/companion animal surgery and medicine. degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3 |
People currently working in careers related to small/companion animal surgery and medicine. tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 62.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 14.0% |
| Master’s degree | 10.8% |
| First professional degree | 6.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in small/companion animal surgery and medicine. careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in small/companion animal surgery and medicine. prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to small/companion animal surgery and medicine..
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to small/companion animal surgery and medicine..
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 3,199,646 | 13.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of small/companion animal surgery and medicine. graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,942 |
| 4 years | $94,912 |
| 5 years | $109,646 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for small/companion animal surgery and medicine. graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers small/companion animal surgery and medicine. grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Veterinarians | $53,196 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 1 different small/companion animal surgery and medicine. programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased small/companion animal surgery and medicine. school rankings to help you.
Students interested in small/companion animal surgery and medicine., you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
