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There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a veterinary surgeon. For example, did you know that they make an average of $173.39 an hour? That's $360,645 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 18% and produce 15,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What Does a Veterinary Surgeon Do

There are certain skills that many veterinary surgeons have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, compassion and problem-solving skills.

Learn more about what a Veterinary Surgeon does

How To Become a Veterinary Surgeon

If you're interested in becoming a veterinary surgeon, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 40.0% of veterinary surgeons have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 20.0% of veterinary surgeons have master's degrees. Even though most veterinary surgeons have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Average Salary for a Veterinary Surgeon

Veterinary Surgeons in America make an average salary of $360,645 per year or $173 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $694,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $187,000 per year.
Average Veterinary Surgeon Salary
$360,645 Yearly
$173.39 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Veterinary Surgeon

There are several types of veterinary surgeon, including:

Surgeon

Role:

A surgeon is a medical expert tasked with performing surgeries on human patients for the purpose of curing or alleviating some or other symptom or disease.


Surgeons, amongst other things, are responsible for examining patients and diagnosing them, reviewing their medical history so as to better craft a healing plan for them, advise patients and explain medical procedures to them and their families, prescribe medication before the surgery and for post op care, and follow through with patients, in order to monitor and maintain their recovery. They may also conduct research in order to advance the medical science and various surgical procedures and they may choose to specialise in a certain type of surgeries through further education and work.


A surgeon should have a medical degree, certification, and a license to practice medicine. They also need to have years of residency training and have to pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination. They must be able to keep calm under pressure and have great hand-eye coordination. Interpersonal skills are important, too. A surgeon, on average, makes $314,000 a year.

  • Average Salary: $155,553
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

General Surgeon

Role:

General surgeons perform different procedures throughout their careers. Unlike specialists, they are available for procedures involving most systems and organs, from the kidneys to the colon. A surgeon's job is demanding, and they may have to spend long hours in the operating room. While on call, surgeons also have to be available at any time - day or night.


General surgeons can work in government hospitals, public hospitals, or private centers. They lead the operating team and ensure that procedures are successful. General surgeons are responsible for assessing patients, diagnosing conditions, and recommending the best course of action. During their career, general surgeons can branch out to specialties like pediatric and plastic surgery.


To become a general surgeon, you'll need four years of college, four years of medical school, and a minimum of five years of residency. You'll also require a license to practice in your state.

  • Average Salary: $223,321
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Orthopedic Surgeon

Role:

Probably you know somebody who stops while tracking or jogging due to joint, bone, or muscle pain. People of any age and at any time can suffer from musculoskeletal pain and severe conditions that keep them away from enjoying life or working daily. Fortunately, everyone can take advantage of the services of an experienced orthopedic surgeon.


Orthopedic surgeons help people lead more productive and happier lives with their treatment options. They are specialized in performing various surgeries to cure different diseases and issues related to a person's musculoskeletal system.


Orthopedic surgeons conduct in-depth examinations on their patients to understand their condition, review their medical history, and ensure accuracy of treatment along with keeping an information record.


This medical specialty is one of the best paying professions in the USA as they earn $167.53 per hour. An associate's or bachelor's degree in biology or nursing and two years' experience is the qualification requirement for this job.

  • Average Salary: $137,571
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Veterinary Surgeon Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active veterinary surgeon jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where veterinary surgeons earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Veterinary Surgeon Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California630$196,255
2Florida598$198,826
3Texas412$191,842
4Illinois337$203,736
5New York301$213,610
6Massachusetts265$211,473
7Pennsylvania245$209,190
8North Carolina223$197,403
9Georgia222$191,683
10Colorado173$206,493
11Washington171$216,978
12Wisconsin166$196,675
13Virginia160$197,470
14Michigan155$208,558
15New Jersey154$208,056
16Minnesota153$218,626
17Ohio149$205,781
18Arizona134$185,001
19Indiana106$199,911
20Maryland97$209,882
21Connecticut89$206,861
22Missouri81$197,958
23Oregon80$214,853
24Tennessee72$198,670
25South Carolina62$197,258
26New Hampshire49$203,971
27Maine48$215,103
28Kansas48$193,024
29Alabama46$186,793
30Iowa45$210,503
31Utah45$204,321
32Oklahoma43$160,697
33Kentucky42$183,271
34Nevada35$194,712
35Nebraska31$194,770
36Louisiana31$161,667
37Delaware29$199,081
38Alaska22$213,918
39Arkansas21$206,016
40Hawaii21$138,792
41New Mexico21$187,887
42Vermont20$213,655
43Rhode Island18$207,351
44Idaho17$213,224
45Mississippi15$175,388
46North Dakota10$226,666
47South Dakota8$194,247
48Montana7$207,554
49West Virginia7$200,058
50Wyoming6$211,397

Veterinary Surgeon Education

Veterinary Surgeon Majors

6.7 %

Veterinary Surgeon Degrees

Bachelors

40.0 %

Doctorate

34.3 %

Masters

20.0 %

Top Colleges for Veterinary Surgeons

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

5. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

7. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

8. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

Top Skills For a Veterinary Surgeon

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 92.3% of veterinary surgeons listed pet on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and compassion are important as well.

Veterinary Surgeon diversity

Veterinary Surgeon Gender Distribution

Male
Male
55%
Female
Female
46%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among veterinary surgeons, 45.5% of them are women, while 54.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among veterinary surgeons is White, which makes up 83.3% of all veterinary surgeons.

Online Courses For Veterinary Surgeon That You May Like

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Best States For a Veterinary Surgeon

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a veterinary surgeon. The best states for people in this position are North Dakota, Minnesota, Washington, and Maine. Veterinary surgeons make the most in North Dakota with an average salary of $226,666. Whereas in Minnesota and Washington, they would average $218,626 and $216,978, respectively. While veterinary surgeons would only make an average of $215,103 in Maine, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Maine

Total Veterinary Surgeon Jobs: 48
Highest 10% Earn:
$289,000
Location Quotient:
1.74

2. Minnesota

Total Veterinary Surgeon Jobs: 153
Highest 10% Earn:
$292,000
Location Quotient:
1.11

3. Vermont

Total Veterinary Surgeon Jobs: 20
Highest 10% Earn:
$288,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Full List Of Best States For Veterinary Surgeons

How Do Veterinary Surgeons Rate Their Jobs?

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Top Veterinary Surgeon Employers

Most Common Employers For Veterinary Surgeon

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1PCC Airfoils$368,502$177.162
2National Veterinary Care$347,485$167.062
3Riverside County Sheriff's Dept$340,780$163.841
4La Paloma Urgent Care & Physician Offices$331,563$159.411
5Spay & Neuter Kansas City$330,640$158.961
6Community development$330,387$158.841
7NewYork.com$311,814$149.911
8Merck$308,420$148.281
9Nature, Inc.$293,594$141.151
10Projects$288,733$138.811