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Veterinarians

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $130,100 Median per year · $62.55/hr Most earn $73,920–$215,700

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Determine the effects of drug therapies, antibiotics, or new surgical techniques by testing them on animals.
  • Research diseases to which animals could be susceptible.
  • Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
  • Inspect and test horses, sheep, poultry, or other animals to detect the presence of communicable diseases.
  • Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
  • Perform administrative or business management tasks, such as scheduling appointments, accepting payments from clients, budgeting, or maintaining business records.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 3,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Veterinary services82.9%
  • Self-employed (their own business)7.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Veterinarian is not an entry-level job. Most people spend about 8 years after high school in college and veterinary school, plus licensing, and often gain 1 to 2 years of hands-on animal care work along the way.

  1. Bachelor's degree in biology, animal science, or a related field

    4 years

    You build the science base (biology, chemistry, anatomy) that veterinary school requires, and most vet schools expect a completed bachelor's degree.

  2. Veterinary Assistant

    6 months to 1 year

    You work with animals in a clinic, handling patients, assisting with procedures, and learning how a veterinary practice runs, which builds the hands-on experience schools and employers look for.

  3. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree

    4 years

    You complete a professional veterinary program with classroom study, lab work, and supervised clinical rotations treating real animals, which prepares you for licensing.

  4. Veterinarian

    About 1 year for the licensing exam and first job

    After passing the national licensing exam (NAVLE) and your state's requirements, you diagnose, treat, and care for animals, and you can work in a clinic, hospital, farm practice, or research setting.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Veterinarian

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more complex cases, mentor newer vets and staff, and often help make decisions about the clinic's medical care and schedules.

  2. Veterinary Practice Owner

    5+ years of experience first

    You run the business side of a clinic, including staffing, budgets, equipment, and client services, while still seeing patients or supervising care.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and mathThese classes form the foundation for a college science major and for veterinary school coursework later on.
  • Volunteer at an animal shelter or humane societyRegular volunteering gives you hands-on time with animals and a sense of whether this kind of work suits you.
  • Join a science, biology, or animal-related clubClubs let you explore animal science, meet others with the same interest, and sometimes take part in science competitions.
  • Look for a starter job at a pet store, kennel, or farmWorking with animals on a regular schedule builds responsibility and practical skills you will use in a clinic.
  • Shadow a veterinarianAsking a local vet clinic if you can observe for a day or two shows you the real work and helps you decide if it is right for you.

In college

  • Major in biology, animal science, or a related fieldA science major covers the chemistry, biology, and anatomy courses that veterinary schools expect you to have completed.
  • Work as a veterinary assistant or kennel techPaid clinic experience gives you the hands-on background that schools and employers want, and it helps you confirm your interest.
  • Get strong grades in science coursesVet school admissions weigh your undergraduate GPA and science grades heavily, so consistent effort now matters.
  • Join a pre-veterinary or animal science student clubThese groups often bring in speakers, host shadowing events, and help you connect with people already in the field.
  • Build research or lab experience with a professorWorking in a campus lab shows you can handle scientific methods, which helps with vet school applications and with research-focused veterinary jobs.

Tips for getting started

  • Get real animal experience early. Volunteering or working at a shelter, clinic, or farm shows schools that you understand the daily work, not just the idea of it.
  • Keep your grades strong in science and math, since veterinary school admissions look closely at your undergraduate grades and science courses.
  • Talk with working veterinarians and vet techs to learn what the job is really like, including the long hours, emotional demands, and the variety of work.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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