Best institutions to study Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the development and process of disease in domestic and wild animals and applications to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
6 U.S. institutions graduated 46 Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.8108, a specialization of Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (CIP 01.81), and leads most directly to the Veterinarians occupation (BLS SOC 29-1131).
About Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology programs
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the development and process of disease in domestic and wild animals and applications to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Includes instruction in pathogenesis, immunoparasitology, viral therapy, inherited metabolic diseases, environmental toxicology, anatomical and clinical pathology, necropsy and biopsy techniques, clinical laboratory analysis, pathological interpretation, and disease diagnosis.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology program focuses on the scientific study of disease development and processes in both domestic and wild animals. This program is designed for students interested in diagnosing, preventing, and treating animal diseases, equipping them with essential skills in pathology and clinical analysis. It is part of the broader Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences field.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in areas such as pathogenesis, immunoparasitology, and environmental toxicology. Coursework includes instruction in clinical laboratory analysis, anatomical and clinical pathology, and necropsy techniques, fostering skills in critical thinking, active learning, and effective communication.
Credentials awarded
What Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship28 graduates / yr · 6 institutions61%
- Master's degree18 graduates / yr · 5 institutions39%
Graduates over time
Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 40 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2022 | 41 |
| 2023 | 42 |
| 2024 | 49 |
| 2025 | 46 |
Top 6 institutions for Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MSPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 13 | 67% | — | — |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 12 | 85% | — | — |
| 3 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicDoctoralMaster's | 6 | 71% | — | — |
| 4 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 6 | 85% | — | $114,606 |
| 5 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MOPublicDoctoral | 6 | 75% | — | — |
| 6 | Iowa State University Ames, IAPublicDoctoralMaster's | 3 | 75% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences field (CIP 01.81) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 6 states
Where Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology graduates come from. Each state links to all Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 1 | 13 | Mississippi State University13 / yr |
| Illinois | 1 | 12 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign12 / yr |
| Kentucky | 1 | 6 | University of Kentucky6 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 6 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities6 / yr |
| Missouri | 1 | 6 | University of Missouri - Columbia6 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 3 | Iowa State University3 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1131, Veterinarians, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology program can pursue careers as veterinarians, animal scientists, or health specialties teachers. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 9.6% and approximately 3,000 annual openings. The median wage for professionals in this field is $125,510, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 01.8108
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Veterinariansprimary SOC 29-1131 | $130,100 | +9.6% Much faster than average | ~3,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1071 | $107,310 | +17.3% Much faster than average | ~27,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Animal Scientists SOC 19-1011 | $68,940 | +5.8% Faster than average | ~200 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
Tools and technology used
Other Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences specializations
The 11 other 6-digit CIP codes under Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (CIP 01.81).
- Veterinary Sciences/CIP 01.8101
Veterinary Clinical Sciences 740 graduates / yr23 institutions - Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public HealthCIP 01.8110partial data63 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Comparative and Laboratory Animal MedicineCIP 01.8102partial data47 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Veterinary Microbiology and ImmunobiologyCIP 01.8107partial data30 graduates / yr4 institutions
- Veterinary Infectious DiseasesCIP 01.8106partial data29 graduates / yr4 institutions
- Small/CIP 01.8104
Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine limited data11 graduates / yr1 institutions - Veterinary PhysiologyCIP 01.8109limited data3 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Large Animal/CIP 01.8103
Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine limited data1 graduates / yr1 institutions - Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical SciencesCIP 01.8199limited data1 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 2 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Veterinary Anatomy01.8105
- Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology01.8111
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences programs →
Common questions
What degrees are offered in this program?+
Degrees offered include a Certificate, Master's, and PhD in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and scientific analysis.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a veterinarian, animal scientist, or health specialties teacher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 9.6%.
What is the CIP code for Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology?+
Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology is CIP 01.8108 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (CIP 01.81). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the scientific study of the development and process of disease in domestic and wild animals and applications to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Includes instruction in pathogenesis, immunoparasitology, viral therapy, inherited metabolic diseases, environmental toxicology, anatomical and clinical pathology, necropsy and biopsy techniques, clinical laboratory analysis, pathological interpretation, and disease diagnosis.
How many institutions offer Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology programs?+
6 U.S. institutions reported Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 6 states, awarding 46 credentials in the year. That is 4.7% of all Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences graduates.
How much do Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Veterinarians occupation, which Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology most directly leads to, pays a median of $130,100 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences field report median earnings of $114,606 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
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.
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