Small animal veterinarian vs wildlife veterinarian

The differences between small animal veterinarians and wildlife veterinarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a small animal veterinarian and a wildlife veterinarian. Additionally, a small animal veterinarian has an average salary of $65,546, which is higher than the $59,110 average annual salary of a wildlife veterinarian.

Small animal veterinarian vs wildlife veterinarian overview

	Small Animal Veterinarian	Wildlife Veterinarian
Yearly salary	$65,546	$59,110
Hourly rate	$31.51	$28.42
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	14,844	12,923
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Doctoral Degree, 43%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Small animal veterinarian vs wildlife veterinarian salary

Small animal veterinarians and wildlife veterinarians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Small Animal Veterinarian	Wildlife Veterinarian
Average salary	$65,546	$59,110
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $135,000	Between $27,000 And $125,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between small animal veterinarian and wildlife veterinarian education

There are a few differences between a small animal veterinarian and a wildlife veterinarian in terms of educational background:

	Small Animal Veterinarian	Wildlife Veterinarian
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Doctoral Degree, 43%
Most common major	Veterinary Medicine	Veterinary Medicine
Most common college	University of Georgia	University of Georgia

Small animal veterinarian vs wildlife veterinarian demographics

Here are the differences between small animal veterinarians' and wildlife veterinarians' demographics:

	Small Animal Veterinarian	Wildlife Veterinarian
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5%	Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Asian, 4.7% White, 83.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 1.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.2% Asian, 3.9% White, 86.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between small animal veterinarian and wildlife veterinarian duties and responsibilities

Small animal veterinarian example responsibilities.

Manage wildlife rehabilitation program for native species, including state and federal rehabilitation licenses for the practice.
Gain valuable small animal and exotic pet surgical and medical experience.
Work at various small animal practices in Indiana after obtaining DVM degree
Perform healthy pet exams and administer preventative health care, including spays and neuters.
Manage wildlife rehabilitation program for native species, including state and federal rehabilitation licenses for the practice.
Supervise laboratory testing, reagent selection and flock management staff for in-house SPF poultry operation.f.

Wildlife veterinarian example responsibilities.

Lead original research in tumor virus biology and pharmacogenomic correlates of vaccine effectiveness with industry and USDA ARS research experts.c.
Lead original research in tumor virus biology and pharmacogenomic correlates of vaccine effectiveness with industry and USDA ARS research experts.c.
Collect and perform in-house antibiotic screening test specimens and submit drug residue, pathology and tuberculosis samples as pathology dictates.

Small animal veterinarian vs wildlife veterinarian skills

Common small animal veterinarian skills

PET, 35%
Excellent Interpersonal, 17%
Patient Care, 11%
Soft Tissue, 8%
DVM, 8%
Internal Medicine, 8%

Common wildlife veterinarian skills

Small Animal Veterinarian vs. similar jobs

Small Animal Veterinarian related careers

Small Animal Veterinarian related jobs

What similar roles do

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Small Animal Veterinarian
Small Animal Veterinarian vs Wildlife Veterinarian

Updated January 8, 2025

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