What is a Veterinarian?
Career Description Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.
What Do Veterinarians Do On a Daily Basis?
- Conduct postmortem studies and analyses to determine the causes of animals’ deaths.
- Perform administrative or business management tasks, such as scheduling appointments, accepting payments from clients, budgeting, or maintaining business records.
- Attend lectures, conferences, or continuing education courses.
- Determine the effects of drug therapies, antibiotics, or new surgical techniques by testing them on animals.
- Inspect and test horses, sheep, poultry, or other animals to detect the presence of communicable diseases.
- Direct the overall operations of animal hospitals, clinics, or mobile services to farms.
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Skills Needed to be a Veterinarian
When polled, Veterinarians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Related Job Titles
- Veterinarian, Small Animal
- Mixed Animal Veterinarian
- Veterinary Bacteriologist
- Veterinary Pathologist
- Small Animal Veterinarian
Job Opportunities for Veterinarians
In the United States, there were 79,600 jobs for Veterinarian in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 18.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 15,000 new jobs for Veterinarian by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,500 positions for Veterinarian per year.
The states with the most job growth for Veterinarian are Utah, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Maine, or Maryland. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Veterinarian Make?
The typical yearly salary for Veterinarians is somewhere between $56,540 and $162,450.
Veterinarians who work in New Jersey, Maryland, or Delaware, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Veterinarians in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $92,930 |
| Alaska | $121,010 |
| Arizona | $98,680 |
| Arkansas | $82,060 |
| California | $121,750 |
| Colorado | $92,710 |
| Connecticut | $105,380 |
| Delaware | $115,640 |
| District of Columbia | $103,840 |
| Florida | $103,580 |
| Georgia | $91,270 |
| Idaho | $102,450 |
| Illinois | $108,280 |
| Indiana | $89,060 |
| Iowa | $88,690 |
| Kansas | $98,260 |
| Kentucky | $86,160 |
| Louisiana | $87,200 |
| Maine | $89,340 |
| Maryland | $117,100 |
| Massachusetts | $109,520 |
| Michigan | $100,380 |
| Minnesota | $95,060 |
| Mississippi | $77,790 |
| Missouri | $90,580 |
| Montana | $79,380 |
| Nebraska | $82,040 |
| Nevada | $119,590 |
| New Hampshire | $106,680 |
| New Jersey | $120,700 |
| New Mexico | $96,440 |
| New York | $117,800 |
| North Carolina | $104,540 |
| North Dakota | $92,200 |
| Ohio | $103,970 |
| Oklahoma | $82,950 |
| Oregon | $109,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $109,580 |
| Rhode Island | $105,780 |
| South Carolina | $111,100 |
| South Dakota | $100,050 |
| Tennessee | $93,520 |
| Texas | $124,060 |
| Utah | $76,980 |
| Vermont | $96,350 |
| Virginia | $125,360 |
| Washington | $93,010 |
| West Virginia | $92,510 |
| Wisconsin | $90,120 |
| Wyoming | $83,420 |
What Tools & Technology do Veterinarians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Veterinarians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX Cornerstone
Becoming a Veterinarian
What education is needed to be a Veterinarian?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Veterinarian?
Veterinarians Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Veterinarians employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Veterinarian might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Shelby R. Orozco via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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