Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related FieldsSpecialization of Veterinary Administrative Services

Best institutions to study Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary

CIP 01.8204New in CIP 2020

A program that prepares individuals to perform the duties of special assistants and personal secretaries for practicing veterinarians, veterinary health care facilities and services administrators, and other veterinary professionals.

1 U.S. institutions graduated 6 Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.8204, a specialization of Veterinary Administrative Services (CIP 01.82), and leads most directly to the Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants occupation (BLS SOC 43-6013).

Institutions
1
offering CIP 01.8204
States offered
1
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
6
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
83%
share of graduates
US median pay · Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
$45,930
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Veterinary Administrative Services
4.8%
of all Veterinary Administrative Services graduates

About Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 01.8204
A program that prepares individuals to perform the duties of special assistants and personal secretaries for practicing veterinarians, veterinary health care facilities and services administrators, and other veterinary professionals. Includes instruction in business and veterinary communications, veterinary terminology, principles of veterinary health care operations, public relations and interpersonal communications, software applications, record-keeping and filing systems, scheduling and meeting planning, applicable policy and regulations, and professional standards and ethics.
Also offered asVeterinary Secretary

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary program prepares individuals to support veterinarians and veterinary healthcare facilities. This program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary to perform administrative tasks, ensuring smooth operations within veterinary practices. It is ideal for those interested in a career that combines veterinary science with administrative support.

What you'll learn

Students in this program will gain knowledge in veterinary terminology, business communications, record-keeping, and scheduling. Coursework emphasizes essential skills such as customer service, interpersonal communication, and the use of software applications relevant to veterinary operations.

Credentials awarded

What Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year6 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    100%

Graduates over time

Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

6graduates in 2025
-73% since 2021
20212025226
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
202122
20227
20237
20244
20256

CIP 01.8204 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.

Top 1 institutions for Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet price
1Gordon Cooper Technology Center
Shawnee, OKPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
690%—

Offered in 1 states

Where Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary graduates come from. Each state links to all Veterinary Administrative Services programs offered there.

StateInstitutionsGraduates / yrTop institution by graduates
Oklahoma16Gordon Cooper Technology Center6 / yr

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-6013, Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, and its national outlook.

Graduates can pursue careers as Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, with an expected job growth rate of 4.2% and approximately 85,900 annual openings in the field. The median wage for these positions is around $44,640, and a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.2%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~85,900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$44,640
typically High school diploma or equivalent
National employment
961,610
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
US average pay
$46,800
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$45,930
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$68,750avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$64,580avg
Vallejo, CA
$63,880avg
Napa, CA
$63,500avg
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$60,980avg

Career pathways for CIP 01.8204

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistantsprimary
SOC 43-6013
$45,930+4.2%
About as fast as average
~85,900High school diploma or equivalent
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
SOC 43-1011
$69,500-0.3%
Little or no change
~144,500High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation needed

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Training
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Related careers

First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
$73,490 avg · 1,436,680 jobs
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
$46,800 avg · 961,610 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Speaking
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Writing
Monitoring
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service
English Language
Administrative
Medicine and Dentistry
Personnel and Human Resources
Computers and Electronics

Abilities that matter most

Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Speech Recognition
Speech Clarity
Near Vision

Day-to-day work activities

Working with Computers
Processing Information
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Performing Administrative Activities

What graduates do on the job

  • Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  • Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
  • Complete insurance or other claim forms.
  • Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
  • Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
  • Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.

Tools and technology used

Accounts payable softwareAccounts receivable softwareAddressing softwareAllscripts PayerpathAllscripts Professional PMAmazing ChartsBilling softwareCorel WordPerfect Office Suite

Other Veterinary Administrative Services specializations

The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Veterinary Administrative Services (CIP 01.82).

Common questions

What is the duration of the program?+

The program awards a credential for at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.

What skills will I develop?+

You will develop skills in communication, critical thinking, and administrative tasks relevant to veterinary practices.

What types of jobs can I get after completing this program?+

You can work as a Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant in veterinary settings.

What is the job outlook for this field?+

The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 4.2%.

What is the CIP code for Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary?+

Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary is CIP 01.8204 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Veterinary Administrative Services (CIP 01.82). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to perform the duties of special assistants and personal secretaries for practicing veterinarians, veterinary health care facilities and services administrators, and other veterinary professionals. Includes instruction in business and veterinary communications, veterinary terminology, principles of veterinary health care operations, public relations and interpersonal communications, software applications, record-keeping and filing systems, scheduling and meeting planning, applicable policy and regulations, and professional standards and ethics.

How many institutions offer Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary programs?+

1 U.S. institutions reported Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states, awarding 6 credentials in the year. That is 4.8% of all Veterinary Administrative Services graduates.

How much do Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary graduates earn?+

Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants occupation, which Veterinary Administrative/Executive Assistant and Veterinary Secretary most directly leads to, pays a median of $45,930 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Veterinary Administrative Services by stateOklahoma

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card