For Educators: Military Resources
Military Veterinarians
Median Salary
162,288
Workforce Count
199
Overview
What are the responsibilities of this role?
Veterinarians provide public health services through animal medical and surgical care, food safety, and biomedical research and development. Many veterinarians also provide care to Military Working Dogs, ceremonial horses, working animals of various federal organizations, and pets owned by service members. Officers with special education in laboratory animal medicine, pathology, microbiology, or related disciplines conduct research in military and other governmental agencies.
What is the work environment like?
Veterinarians work in medical, clinical, and research laboratories and, at times, in food processing or storage plants. They may work outdoors while conducting field work, on land or aboard ships.
How many people have this role in the Military?
199
Compensation
Understanding How Military Pay is More Than Just a Salary
Base pay is the standard income you’ll earn as a service member, providing a stable foundation to start achieving your financial goals.
- Always fixed based on rank and service time.
- Distributed monthly.
What is the typical salary range?
Salary by Years of Service
$179,500
2 Years
$129,321
6 Years
$179,500
10+ Years
Median Salary
Military Details
Is this a staff or leadership role?
Officers are service members who plan, direct operations and manage enlisted personnel, developing a broad range of leadership-related skills.
Learn More About Enlisted and Officer PathsWhat does the training for this role entail?
Veterinarians are subject matter experts in their field. Job training for veterinarians primarily consists of on-the-job learning in various training environments. Like other officers working in healthcare, they complete a comprehensive training program covering responsibilities, orientation to military structure, healthcare and etiquette, traditions, and leadership development.
Education
What level of education do professionals in this role have?
Which college majors best prepare you for this role?
- Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
- Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General
- Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health
- Large Animal/Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine
- Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology
- Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Veterinary Infectious Diseases
Learn About How Military Can Pay for 100% of your College Degree
The Military has several programs that cover college costs — so you can pursue your education with little to no debt.
Learn More About Paying For CollegeSkills and Interest
What knowledge is essential to bring to the table?
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Biology
- Education and Training
- English Language
What personality traits help people thrive in this role?
Realistic
You love hands-on work and solving practical problems — like fixing things and building stuff.
Investigative
You love figuring out how things work and researching subjects that interest you.
RIASEC represents six broad interest areas—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional—helping individuals identify careers that match their skills and preferences.
Take the RIASEC Test