2021 Veterinary Medicine Degree Guide
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An Increase in Veterinary Medicine Degrees
Veterinary Medicine was the 157th most popular major in the 2018-2019 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 3,231 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 1.9% increase in veterinary medicine degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,169.
Explore this or one of our many other custom veterinary medicine rankings further below.
Veterinary Medicine Degree Requirements
When studying Veterinary Medicine, you’ll learn that talking to others to convey information effectively will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems are all required skills for careers related to this major.
Veterinary Medicine Degree Program Entry Requirements
veterinary medicine degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Once you obtain your degree, additional veterinary medicine certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
Types of Veterinary Medicine Degrees
Veterinary Medicine degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in veterinary medicine to the highest veterinary medicine degree, a . Veterinary Medicine programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to veterinary medicine, with approximately 50.0% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for veterinary medicine workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 51.8% |
| Master’s Degree | 16.7% |
| First Professional Degree | 12.6% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 9.7% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 5.8% |
60.3% of veterinary medicine workers have at least a doctorate. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in veterinary medicine careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the veterinary medicine career you are seeking.
Career Opportunities for Veterinary Medicine Majors
High Growth Projected for Veterinary Medicine Careers
Want a job when you graduate with your veterinary medicine degree? Veterinary Medicine careers are expected to grow 24.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to veterinary medicine.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Veterinarians | 94,600 | 18.8% |
Veterinary Medicine Degree Salary Potential
Veterinary Medicine graduates between 2015-2017 reported earning an average of $72,891 in the 2017-2018 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $61,300 to as high as $81,700. As you might expect, salaries for veterinary medicine graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
High Paying Careers for Veterinary Medicine Majors
Salaries for veterinary medicine graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers veterinary medicine grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Veterinarians | $105,240 |
Getting Your Veterinary Medicine Degree
With over 33 different veterinary medicine degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased veterinary medicine school rankings to help you with this.
Veterinary Medicine Related Majors
Veterinary Medicine is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.
Most Popular Majors Related to Veterinary Medicine
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing | 297,747 |
| Allied Health Professions | 50,338 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 48,644 |
| Public Health | 34,192 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 30,460 |
View All Veterinary Medicine Related Majors >
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Veterinary Studies Schools
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