Best institutions to study Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health
A program that focuses on the study of the prevention and control of communicable animal diseases, diseases affecting humans, and prepares veterinarians to function as public health specialists.
6 U.S. institutions graduated 63 Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.8110, 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 Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health programs
A program that focuses on the study of the prevention and control of communicable animal diseases, diseases affecting humans, and prepares veterinarians to function as public health specialists. Includes instruction in animal epidemiology, biostatistics, food safety and quality assurance, food toxicology, zoonotic and infectious diseases, disease vectors and transference, production medicine, animal health, veterinary public health practice, and inspection and evaluation methods.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Veterinary Preventive Medicine program, part of the Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences field, focuses on the prevention and control of communicable animal diseases and their impact on human health. This program is designed for those aspiring to become public health specialists and veterinarians, equipping them with essential skills to address complex health challenges in both animals and humans.
Students in this program gain knowledge in animal epidemiology, biostatistics, food safety, zoonotic diseases, and veterinary public health practices. Coursework emphasizes critical skills such as active listening, science, critical thinking, and effective communication.
Credentials awarded
What Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree48 graduates / yr · 5 institutions76%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship14 graduates / yr · 2 institutions22%
- Post-master's certificate1 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.6%
Graduates over time
Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 24 |
| 2021 | 26 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 35 |
| 2024 | 31 |
| 2025 | 63 |
Top 6 institutions for Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicMaster's | 16 | 86% | — |
| 2 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicMaster's | 14 | 84% | — |
| 3 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicMaster's | 13 | 88% | — |
| 4 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TXPublicDoctoral | 10 | 69% | — |
| 5 | Iowa State University Ames, IAPublicMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 9 | 75% | — |
| 6 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicMaster's | 1 | 91% | — |
Offered in 5 states
Where Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health graduates come from. Each state links to all Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2 | 24 | Texas A&M University - College Station14 / yr |
| California | 1 | 16 | University of California - Davis16 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 13 | Ohio State University - Main Campus13 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 9 | Iowa State University9 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 1 | University of Florida1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1131, Veterinarians, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Veterinary Preventive Medicine program can pursue careers as veterinarians, health specialties teachers, or animal scientists. 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 01.8110
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 Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health 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 - Comparative and Laboratory Animal MedicineCIP 01.8102partial data47 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Veterinary Pathology and PathobiologyCIP 01.8108partial data46 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?+
The program offers a Master's degree, Doctor's degree, and Post-master's certificate.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, science, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 9.6%.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are six colleges offering this program in the U.S.
What is the CIP code for Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health?+
Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health is CIP 01.8110 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 study of the prevention and control of communicable animal diseases, diseases affecting humans, and prepares veterinarians to function as public health specialists. Includes instruction in animal epidemiology, biostatistics, food safety and quality assurance, food toxicology, zoonotic and infectious diseases, disease vectors and transference, production medicine, animal health, veterinary public health practice, and inspection and evaluation methods.
How many institutions offer Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health programs?+
6 U.S. institutions reported Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 5 states, awarding 63 credentials in the year. That is 6.5% of all Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences graduates.
How much do Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Veterinarians occupation, which Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health most directly leads to, pays a median of $130,100 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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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