Post job

Emergency veterinarian education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an emergency veterinarian. Emergency veterinarians usually study veterinary medicine, biology, or animal science. 49% of emergency veterinarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 37% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 181 real emergency veterinarian resumes to see exactly what emergency veterinarian education sections show.

The most common colleges for emergency veterinarians are the Ohio State University and the Ohio State University.

There are also many online emergency veterinarian courses to help get the education required to be an emergency veterinarian.

What education do you need to become an emergency veterinarian?

What degree do you need to be an emergency veterinarian?

The most common degree for emergency veterinarians is bachelor's degree, with 49% of emergency veterinarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 37% and doctoral degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 49%
  • Doctorate, 37%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an emergency veterinarian?

You should major in veterinary medicine to become an emergency veterinarian. 40% of emergency veterinarians major in veterinary medicine. Other common majors for an emergency veterinarian include biology and animal science.

Most common colleges for emergency veterinarians

Emergency veterinarians often get their degrees at Ohio State University, Tuskegee University, and Cornell University. Here are the most common colleges for emergency veterinarians in the US based on their resumes.
Emergency veterinarian common collegePercentages
Ohio State University10.64%
Tuskegee University10.64%
Cornell University8.51%
Colorado State University8.51%
Oklahoma State University8.51%

Best majors for emergency veterinarians

RankMajorPercentages
1Veterinary Medicine40.0%
2Biology12.0%
3Animal Science10.0%
4Veterinary Science7.0%
5Zoology5.0%

Best colleges for emergency veterinarians

The best colleges for emergency veterinarians are Tufts University, Stanford University, and Cornell University.

An emergency veterinarian with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for emergency veterinarians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become emergency veterinarians.

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

6. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

8. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

9. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

10. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

20 best online courses for emergency veterinarians

Advertising disclosure

1. Trauma Emergencies and Care

coursera

Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...

2. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

coursera

Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

3. Personal Emergency Planning (Coronavirus - COVID-19 Edition)

udemy
4.5
(1,490)

Learn how to prepare for and respond to all the different kinds of emergencies that could befall you including COVID-19...

4. Emergency Life Support First Aid Training

udemy
4.7
(2,132)

Learn important life saving first aid. Treatment of major illness and injuries...

5. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a...

6. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...

7. First Aid Masterclass: A Complete Guide to First Aid

udemy
4.7
(610)

The Complete Guide to First Aid and Emergency Medicine: Learn CPR, Heimlich, How to Stop Bleedings, Baby Care & More!...

8. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

coursera

Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...

9. Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

coursera

The Center for Humanitarian Emergencies is a partnership between CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch and the Rollins School of Public Health that drives global collaboration, research and evidence based training to improve the lives and well-being of populations impacted by humanitarian emergencies. - Center for Humanitarian Emergencies: http://www.che.emory.edu/ - CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch: http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/errb/index.html This course...

10. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

coursera

Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

11. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

coursera

This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

12. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course

coursera

The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...

13. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

coursera

This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

14. COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Workers

coursera

COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe and all providers must be prepared to recognize, stabilize and treat patients with novel coronavirus infection. Following completion of this short course physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals will have a unified, evidenced-based approach to saving the lives of patients with COVID-19, including those who are critically ill. Learning modules are broken into short videos presented in a richly illustrated and compelling manner. The...

15. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes

coursera

COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...

16. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

17. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff

coursera

Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...

18. Financial Regulation in Emerging Markets and the Rise of Fintech Companies

coursera

This course explores the developments that have fueled the emergence of fintech companies around the world. Following the changing regulatory environment, especially since the 1997 Asian and 2008 global financial crisis, governments have enacted far-reaching new financial regulations for safeguarding financial stability. However, banks and financial institutions have found it increasingly difficult to be profitable in these new regulatory environments. Technology is taking leaps forward in...

19. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation

coursera

Kidney transplantation is a major advance of modern medicine which provides high-quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. What used to be an experimental, risky, and very limited treatment option more than 50 years ago is now routinely performed in many countries worldwide. The number of renal transplants is expected to rise sharply in the next decade since the proportion of patients with end stage renal disease is increasing. Are you interested in clinical kidney, pancreas...

20. The Emergence of Oncofertility (Past, Present & Future)

coursera

Oncofertility is a new interdisciplinary field at the intersection of oncology and reproductive medicine that aims to provide effective fertility options to young cancer patients undergoing gonadotoxic anticancer therapy through several fertility preservation and restoration strategies. This course aims to provide participants with an exciting learning curve to ensure they understand the fundamentals of oncofertility and help them advance their career. This course is offered by the...

Top 10 most affordable universities for emergency veterinarians

The most affordable schools for emergency veterinarians are University of Florida, purdue university, and north carolina state university.

If the best universities for emergency veterinarians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for emergency veterinarians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

3. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Cost of attendance

23,600

4. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Cost of attendance

26,252

5. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Cost of attendance

25,497

6. Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS • Private

In-state tuition

$8,650

Cost of attendance

24,275

7. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Cost of attendance

25,919

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

9. Utah State University

Logan, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$8,138

Cost of attendance

18,531

10. Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames, IA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,988

Cost of attendance

20,476

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for emergency veterinarians

The hardest universities for emergency veterinarians to get into are Tufts University, Stanford University, and Cornell University.

Some great schools for emergency veterinarians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for emergency veterinarians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

4. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,365

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

7. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,345

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,362

10. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,336

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for emergency veterinarians

The easiest schools for emergency veterinarians to get into are Washington State University, oregon state university, and iowa state university of science and technology.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an emergency veterinarian without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for emergency veterinarians.

1. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

2. Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,205

3. Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames, IA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,219

4. Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,224

5. Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, TN • Private

Admissions rate

60%

SAT average

1,116

6. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,140

7. Utah State University

Logan, UT • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,201

8. North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,170

9. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

1,291

10. Louisiana State University and A&M College

Baton Rouge, LA • Private

Admissions rate

74%

SAT average

1,242

Average emergency veterinarian salary by education level

Emergency veterinarian education levelEmergency veterinarian salary
Doctorate Degree$106,802

Emergency veterinarian education FAQs

Search for emergency veterinarian jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs