How to Become a Veterinarian

Veterinarians are medical professionals who diagnose illnesses, perform surgeries, and provide preventive care for pets, farm animals, and sometimes exotic species. They complete a four‑year doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree at an accredited veterinary school after their undergraduate studies and then must pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) and meet state licensing requirements before they can practice.

Because of this extensive education and training, becoming a veterinarian is a significant long‑term commitment, but it leads to a career with strong demand and growing job opportunities in the coming decade.

Before veterinary school, candidates need a bachelor’s degree with key prerequisites like chemistry, biology, physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, and microbiology. Many students choose majors in biology, animal science, or related fields, and gain hands-on experience through animal care jobs or volunteering at clinics.

This career offers real rewards, including high job satisfaction from helping animals, competitive salaries (the median annual wage for veterinarians was $125,510 according to the BLS in May 2024), and flexibility to specialize in areas like companion animals, equine, or livestock.

Skills & Personality Traits of the Successful Veterinarian

Successful veterinarians need the right mix of personal qualities, thinking skills, and hands‑on abilities to do their jobs well, both with animals and with people.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinarians need strong communication skills to explain health problems, treatment options, and care instructions to animal owners and to give clear directions to their staff. They must also show compassion by treating animals kindly and with respect. The BLS notes that veterinarians rely on strong decision‑making and problem‑solving skills to choose appropriate treatments, often with limited information. They also need manual dexterity and steady hands to perform surgery, treat wounds, and use medical equipment safely and precisely.

O*NET (2026) highlights that veterinarians use active listening, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and scientific skills every day as they examine animals, interpret lab tests, and develop treatment plans. They need strong speaking and writing abilities to communicate clearly. According to ONET, veterinarians also benefit from abilities such as near vision, finger dexterity, arm‑hand steadiness, and control precision.

Not only that, but veterinarians often manage their own practices, which means they have all the responsibilities of a small-business owner. Marketing, customer service, and training are all elements that must be decided at least in part by the veterinarian. Through skills in monitoring, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving, veterinarians aim to keep their practices growing and prevent animals from suffering unnecessarily.

Role Requirements of a Veterinarian

Becoming a veterinarian starts with strong preparation in high school and college, followed by competitive admission to veterinary school, a demanding four‑year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, and passing licensing exams.

High School and Undergraduate Preparation

Prospective candidates will be required to focus on high school science and math courses, such as biology, chemistry, physics, and algebra, to build a solid foundation for college prerequisites. In college, they will be required to complete a bachelor’s degree, often in biology, animal science, or a related field, with required courses including biology, chemistry, physics, genetics, and microbiology. Students can check specific lists through the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).

Maintaining a high GPA will be crucial, especially in the final two years, since admissions committees review transcripts closely. Most successful applicants have overall science GPAs above 3.5.

Gaining Hands-on Experience

Gaining real‑world animal experience early through volunteering or working at farms, animal shelters, stables, clinics, or research labs is often required by schools and shows commitment. Candidates should aim to gain experience in a variety of settings, working with both small and large animals. Veterinary colleges require students to obtain a minimum number of hours working alongside a veterinarian. Students must check the requirements of the schools they are interested in.

Auburn University, for example, requires a minimum of 500 hours working alongside a veterinarian, but many admitted students have over 1,000 hours. Veterinary schools will also pay attention to community service or volunteer involvement, leadership experiences, and extracurricular activities. Some schools prefer experience with livestock, wildlife, or exotics to demonstrate diverse interests.

Applying to Veterinary School

Admission to veterinary school is extremely competitive, with only 33 colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States receiving over 10,000 applications each year for about 3,300 seats. To boost chances, candidates must exceed the minimum requirements by building a strong academic record, gaining hands-on experience, and preparing a complete application.

Most schools use the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS), a centralized system that collects and sends your data, like transcripts, essays, and recommendations, to participating colleges. Students are recommended to start their VMCAS application early, as they need a VMCAS ID number for letters of recommendation and some supplemental forms.

Key materials include official transcripts from all colleges attended, a personal statement, and three evaluations highlighting skills like communication, leadership, and commitment. Some schools may require supplemental applications or tests.

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Program

Once accepted, complete a four‑year DVM program with at least 130 weeks of supervised instruction, including classroom, lab, and clinical work on animal anatomy, physiology, disease diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and public health. The first three years cover core sciences, while the final year focuses on over 40 weeks of hands-on clinical rotations in clinics or hospitals, where students shadow vets, treat real animals, and complete externships. Candidates are expected to face a full schedule, often 18 to 22 credits per semester plus significant study time. For example, students at Auburn take 19 to 24 credits per term, spending an average of 36 hours per week in classrooms and labs.

Licensing and State Requirements

After graduating from an AVMA‑accredited school, students must pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). Administered by ICVA, the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) is a secure, computer‑based test required in all US states and Canada, consisting of 360 multiple‑choice questions in six 65‑minute blocks on clinical knowledge, offered in three annual windows.

Most states also require a state jurisprudence exam, which is a short open‑book or multiple‑choice test on local veterinary laws and regulations, plus a license application. Federal or some government jobs may waive the state license.

Different Paths / Steps to Becoming a Veterinarian

The standard path to a DVM takes about eight years after high school, but strong science courses and lots of animal experience, such as volunteering at clinics or shelters, are key to getting in. Those who have completed certificates in veterinary assisting or associate’s degrees in animal science or veterinary technology may have a better chance, as long as they fully complete the requirements of the undergraduate degree program.

Some schools make it faster with combined bachelor’s and DVM programs. For example, Tufts University lets science sophomores apply early and guarantees them a DVM spot after undergraduate education. Fairleigh Dickinson University offers a program that finishes both a BS and a DVM in just seven years instead of eight.

After earning their DVM degree, most veterinarians, according to the BLS, enter private practice (84 percent), such as pet clinics or farms. Others are self-employed (6 percent), work for the government (2 percent), work in educational services (2 percent), or work for social advocacy organizations (2 percent).

Students can specialize in one of the 22 areas AVMA recognizes, such as surgery or oncology, which require one to four years of extra training called a residency, plus passing a specialty exam, and often pay more than general practice. Students can also pursue a PhD alongside their DVM (usually six to eight years total) to focus on research, teaching, or advancing veterinary science.

Veterinarian Salary – How Much Do Vets Make?

Not surprisingly, salaries for veterinarians tend to vary by geographic region, industry, specialty, and experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2024), a Department of Labor affiliate, shows that the 80,630 vets employed nationwide made an annual average salary of $140,270. In granular terms, veterinarians had the following wage percentiles—the latest data available as of January 2026:

As a basis of comparison, PayScale (January 2026)—a prominent aggregator of self-reported salary data in popular occupations—found similar salary ranges among its 1,676 responding veterinarians:

Veterinarian Salary By Region

Before delving into a regional examination of veterinarian salaries, it’s important to note that while some areas offer more attractive compensation, they may also incur a higher cost of living. As proof of this point, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2026) provides a list of states by affordability and comparative indexes for housing costs, utilities, groceries, transportation, and health.

For example, in 2025, the five states with the lowest cost of living were Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, and Kansas. Conversely, the most expensive states to live in were Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, the District of Columbia, and Alaska.

To illustrate this point, four of the top-paying states are also in MERIC’s top ten list of most expensive states to live in, paying the highest annual salaries to veterinarians (BLS May 2024):

In a stroke of luck for Californians, it’s among the top-paying states, but it’s also a top-employing state, a factor that correlates roughly with population size. Here are the top-employing regions for veterinarians (BLS May 2024):

Veterinarian Salary by Experience and Specialty

Like most occupations, veterinarian salaries may also vary by years of experience. Here are veterinarians’ median annual salaries according to different experience levels, based on 1,676 salaries (PayScale January 2026):

• Entry-level (less than one year): $99,195
• Early career (1-4 years): $102,089
• Mid-career (5-9 years) (median): $109,928
• Experienced (10-19 years): $113,683
• Late-career (20 years and higher): $120,225

Veterinarian Career Outlook

Luckily for veterinarians nationwide, there is expected to be an explosion in job openings in the coming years. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025) predicts that veterinary positions will grow 10 percent nationally between 2024 and 2034, much faster than the growth anticipated for all professions during that time frame (3 percent). As a result, the projected addition of 8,300 veterinarian jobs nationwide will boost the employment landscape in this field in the future.