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Staff veterinarian education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a staff veterinarian. Staff veterinarians usually study veterinary medicine, biology, or animal science. 50% of staff veterinarians hold a doctoral degree, and 36% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 131 real staff veterinarian resumes to see exactly what staff veterinarian education sections show.

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

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

What education do you need to become a staff veterinarian?

What degree do you need to be a staff veterinarian?

The most common degree for staff veterinarians is doctoral degree, with 50% of staff veterinarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 36% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.
  • Doctorate, 50%
  • Bachelor's, 36%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a staff veterinarian?

You should major in veterinary medicine to become a staff veterinarian. 46% of staff veterinarians major in veterinary medicine. Other common majors for a staff veterinarian include biology and animal science.

Most common colleges for staff veterinarians

Staff veterinarians often get their degrees at Ohio State University, Tuskegee University, and University of California - Davis. Here are the most common colleges for staff veterinarians in the US based on their resumes.
Staff veterinarian common collegePercentages
Ohio State University11.63%
Tuskegee University6.98%
University of California - Davis6.98%
University of Florida6.98%
Colorado State University6.98%

Best majors for staff veterinarians

RankMajorPercentages
1Veterinary Medicine45.6%
2Biology10.0%
3Animal Science8.9%
4Veterinary Science7.8%
5Business4.4%

Best colleges for staff veterinarians

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

A staff 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 staff 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 staff 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 staff veterinarians

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16. Equine Welfare and Management

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Top 10 most affordable universities for staff veterinarians

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

If the best universities for staff 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 staff 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 staff veterinarians

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

Some great schools for staff 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 staff 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 staff veterinarians

The easiest schools for staff 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 staff 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 staff 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 staff veterinarian salary by education level

Staff veterinarian education levelStaff veterinarian salary
Doctorate Degree$79,821

Staff 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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