Learn the key facts every veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. programs.
In the U.S., veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. is a widely-pursued major, with 854 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General. Schools ranking analyzes these 23 schools to determine the best overall colleges for veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. programs later in this article.
Programs in Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General. develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 186 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 99 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 83 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 463 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 23 |
People currently working in careers related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. 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% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. prepares you for a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general..
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general..
| 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 veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. 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 veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Veterinarians | $53,196 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 23 different veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general. school rankings to help you.
Those considering veterinary sciences/veterinary clinical sciences, general., you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.