What is a staff veterinarian and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted Expert
Jamie Rauscher RVT
introduction image
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a staff veterinarian. For example, did you know that they make an average of $33.91 an hour? That's $70,533 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 19% and produce 16,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Staff Veterinarian?

J

Jamie Rauscher RVTJamie Rauscher RVT LinkedIn Profile

Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock

I would advise new graduates to look at their career as a whole. Do not get bogged down in the negativity of so many others. You will be told everything from you cannot survive on your own salary, the pay is terrible, clients are ungrateful, you will become burnt out within the first 5 years, etc. All that is part of a negative mindset. I have been in the field for 25 years. I love it. I have earned the salary I make due to hard work and determination. I am constantly looking for ways to grow myself, so I will be able to develop my career into what I am physically able to do, as well as mentally as I age. I can help to support my family, even if I was not able to have my husband's income to add in, I would be able to take care of myself and my son with no problem.
ScoreStaff VeterinarianUS Average
Salary
5.5

Avg. Salary $70,533

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 4.67%

Black or African American 1.38%

Hispanic or Latino 5.74%

Unknown 4.27%

White 83.68%

Gender

female 59.46%

male 40.54%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a staff veterinarian

  1. Explore staff veterinarian education requirements

    Most common staff veterinarian degrees

    Doctorate

    50.0 %

    Bachelor's

    35.9 %

    Master's

    6.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific staff veterinarian skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    PET25.10%
    Surgery19.79%
    Medical Care10.59%
    Veterinary Medicine10.44%
    USDA5.99%
  3. Complete relevant staff veterinarian training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New staff veterinarians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a staff veterinarian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real staff veterinarian resumes.
  4. Research staff veterinarian duties and responsibilities

    • Lead original research in tumor virus biology and pharmacogenomic correlates of vaccine effectiveness with industry and USDA ARS research experts.c.
    • Practice small animal and pocket pet medicine to assist shelter staff.
    • Staff the wellness clinic which provide vaccinations and other preventative care to local pet owners with financial constraints.
    • Lead original research in tumor virus biology and pharmacogenomic correlates of vaccine effectiveness with industry and USDA ARS research experts.c.
  5. Prepare your staff veterinarian resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your staff veterinarian resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a staff veterinarian resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Staff Veterinarian Resume templates

    Build a professional Staff Veterinarian resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Staff Veterinarian resume.
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    Staff Veterinarian Resume
    Staff Veterinarian Resume
  6. Apply for staff veterinarian jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a staff veterinarian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Staff Veterinarian Job

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Average staff veterinarian salary

The average Staff Veterinarian salary in the United States is $70,533 per year or $34 per hour. Staff veterinarian salaries range between $35,000 and $141,000 per year.

Average Staff Veterinarian Salary
$70,533 Yearly
$33.91 hourly

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Staff Veterinarian reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Cons

Cons: losing a animal.


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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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