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Large animal veterinarian education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a large animal veterinarian. Large animal veterinarians usually study veterinary medicine, animal science, or medical assisting services. 39% of large animal veterinarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 32 real large animal veterinarian resumes to see exactly what large animal veterinarian education sections show.

The most common colleges for large animal veterinarians are the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin Colleges.

There are also many online large animal veterinarian courses to help get the education required to be a large animal veterinarian.

What education do you need to become a large animal veterinarian?

What degree do you need to be a large animal veterinarian?

The most common degree for large animal veterinarians is bachelor's degree, with 39% of large animal veterinarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 22% and doctoral degree degree at 22%.
  • Bachelor's, 39%
  • Doctorate, 22%
  • Associate, 22%
  • High School Diploma, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a large animal veterinarian?

You should major in veterinary medicine to become a large animal veterinarian. 25% of large animal veterinarians major in veterinary medicine. Other common majors for a large animal veterinarian include animal science and medical assisting services.

Most common colleges for large animal veterinarians

Large animal veterinarians often get their degrees at University of Wisconsin Colleges, Fairmont State University, and Baker College. Here are the most common colleges for large animal veterinarians in the US based on their resumes.
Large animal veterinarian common collegePercentages
University of Wisconsin Colleges13.33%
Fairmont State University6.67%
Baker College6.67%
Cornell University6.67%
Hollins University6.67%

Best majors for large animal veterinarians

Best colleges for large animal veterinarians

The best colleges for large animal veterinarians are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.

A large animal 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 large animal 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 large animal veterinarians.

1. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

4. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

10. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

20 best online courses for large animal veterinarians

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1. Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management

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Learn about the impact of infectious disease on sustainable animal-based food production by understanding the science of growth, immunity, and infection and by learning the problem-solving skills needed to advance animal health and food production through optimal management practices. There is a growing global need in agricultural production for a workforce that is capable of integrating knowledge of animal health and production with an understanding of consumer preferences in the context of...

2. Trauma Emergencies and Care

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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...

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5. Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

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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...

6. Equine Welfare and Management

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This unique course was developed by veterinarians at the world-renowned University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The course will address horsemanship from a welfare perspective, within the context of “The Five Freedoms” of animal welfare. We’ll explore equine physiology, behavior and basic needs including housing, nutrition, hygiene and disease management. You’ll learn how to perform basic tasks to assess the overall condition of the horse and identify problem areas. We’ll...

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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...

10. Dairy Production and Management

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With the world's first MOOOOO-C, you will gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of all aspects of dairy management such as genetics, nutrition, reproduction, animal health, farm economics, and sustainability of dairy production systems. There's something here for everyone whether you are just looking for the basics or have years of experience in the dairy industry. This is an eight-week course. Each week consists of four to nine video lectures, additional reading materials, and a...

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13. Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy

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14. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

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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...

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18. Ultimate Blender 3D Character Creation & Animation Course

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Top 10 most affordable universities for large animal veterinarians

The most affordable schools for large animal veterinarians are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for large animal 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 large animal veterinarians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for large animal veterinarians

The hardest universities for large animal veterinarians to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for large animal 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 large animal 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

9. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

10. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,488

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for large animal veterinarians

The easiest schools for large animal veterinarians to get into are Barry University, adventhealth university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a large animal 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 large animal veterinarians.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

6. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

7. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

8. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

9. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average large animal veterinarian salary by education level

Large animal veterinarian education levelLarge animal veterinarian salary
Doctorate Degree$68,144

Large animal veterinarian education FAQs

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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.

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