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Small animal veterinarian education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a small animal veterinarian. Small animal veterinarians usually study veterinary medicine, biology, or animal science. 44% of small animal veterinarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 37% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 125 real small animal veterinarian resumes to see exactly what small animal veterinarian education sections show.
The most common colleges for small animal veterinarians are the Kansas State University and the Kansas State University.
There are also many online small animal veterinarian courses to help get the education required to be a small animal veterinarian.
What education do you need to become a small animal veterinarian?
What degree do you need to be a small animal veterinarian?
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Doctorate, 37%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a small animal veterinarian?
- Veterinary Medicine, 39%
- Biology, 13%
- Animal Science, 10%
- Other Majors, 31%
Most common colleges for small animal veterinarians
| Small animal veterinarian common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Kansas State University | 13.51% |
| Oklahoma State University | 10.81% |
| Cairn University | 8.11% |
| Michigan State University | 8.11% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 5.41% |
Best majors for small animal veterinarians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterinary Medicine | 39.4% |
| 2 | Biology | 12.7% |
| 3 | Animal Science | 9.9% |
| 4 | Veterinary Science | 7.0% |
| 5 | Psychology | 2.8% |
Best colleges for small animal veterinarians
The best colleges for small animal veterinarians are Tufts University, Stanford University, and Cornell University.
A small 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 small 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 small animal 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 small animal veterinarians
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1. Trauma Emergencies and Care
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
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. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma
A complete program in one course, This Diploma is an Encyclopedia in The Natural Medicine field...
4. Introduction to Medical Imaging
Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...
5. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
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...
6. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
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...
7. Animating in Adobe Character Animator (2018 Edition)
Learn how to animate characters using your video camera and microphone! No prior animation experience required!...
8. Procedural animation for humans in Unreal Engine 5
Create a dynamic and flexible animation system which can be adapted to any style of character movement...
9. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
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...
10. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
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...
11. Medical Terminology 101
For those in healthcare, billing, and more. Boost earning ability and marketable skills by learning to speak medicine...
12. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers
Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...
13. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
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...
14. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness
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...
15. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff
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...
16. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes
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...
17. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
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...
18. COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Workers
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...
19. Pain Management: Easing Pain in Palliative Care
In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...
20. Equine Welfare and Management
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...
Top 10 most affordable universities for small animal veterinarians
The most affordable schools for small animal veterinarians are University of Florida, purdue university, and north carolina state university.
If the best universities for small 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 small animal 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 small animal veterinarians
The hardest universities for small animal veterinarians to get into are Tufts University, Stanford University, and Cornell University.
Some great schools for small 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 small 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. 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 small animal veterinarians
The easiest schools for small animal 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 a small 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 small animal 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 small animal veterinarian salary by education level
| Small animal veterinarian education level | Small animal veterinarian salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $74,561 |
Small animal veterinarian education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025