by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 23 U.S. colleges awarded 740 degrees and certificates in Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 64% of graduates. College Factual ranks 17 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General 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 sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general is a widely-pursued major, with 740 degrees awarded annually. 23 colleges award veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general degrees, an average of 32 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 158.
By level, the 740 awards include 100 certificates, 74 associate degrees, 69 bachelor’s degrees, 473 master’s degrees and 24 doctorates.
Women earned 84% of veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (624 of 740). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (334) and Hispanic or Latino (244), and international students earned 50.
College Factual ranks 17 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General Schools ranking, including 3 for associate degrees, 1 for bachelor’s degrees, 5 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general schools within 7 states. In all, 23 colleges offer veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general credential is the master’s degree: 473 of the 740 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general 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 sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 100 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 74 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 69 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 473 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 24 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general, at 62.9%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General, with an average median salary of $49,930; the strongest outlook belongs to Veterinarians, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Veterinary Medicine Scientist (Vet Medicine Scientist), Animal Physiologist, Small Animal Veterinarian (Small Animal Vet) and Veterinary Virus Serum Inspector (Vet Virus Serum Inspector).
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general, at 3,199,646.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 3,199,646 | 13.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General 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 same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general, with a median salary of $53,196.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Veterinarians | $53,196 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General has 9 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 231 degrees a year; the largest are Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health (63), 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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