by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 63 degrees and certificates in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 78% of graduates. College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $41,594 one year after completing, rising to $57,669 after four years.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health draws strong interest, with 63 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 16.
By level, the 63 awards include 49 master’s degrees and 14 doctorates.
Women earned 70% of veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health degrees and certificates in the latest year (44 of 63). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (26) and Hispanic or Latino (9), and international students earned 25.
College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Schools ranking, including 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health schools within 1 state. In all, 6 colleges offer veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health credential is the master’s degree: 49 of the 63 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Active Learning, and for knowledge of Biology, Medicine and Dentistry and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 49 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 14 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health, at 62.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 62.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 13.9% |
| Master’s degree | 11.0% |
| First professional degree | 6.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health, with an average median salary of $64,561; the strongest outlook belongs to Veterinarians, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Animal Anatomist, Animal Physiologist, Veterinary Parasitologist (Vet Parasitologist) and Veterinary Surgical Specialist (Vet Surgical Specialist).
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health, at 3,199,646.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 3,199,646 | 13.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Animal Scientists | 77,353 | -1.4% |
Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health graduates earn a median $41,594 one year after completing their program, $57,669 after four years and $107,990 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $41,594 |
| 4 years | $57,669 |
| 5 years | $107,990 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to veterinary preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health is Animal Scientists, with a median salary of $93,823.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Animal Scientists | $93,823 |
| Veterinarians | $53,196 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health has 9 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 908 degrees a year; the largest are Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General (740), Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine (47) and Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology (46). Browse all Agriculture majors or the full list of college majors.
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