Students graduating with a DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine have a strong history of finding employment or furthering their education after completing their studies at Iowa State University.
For the most recent classes surveyed the following information is available from surveys conducted six months after graduation.
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Within 6 months of graduation
Employment
Source: OASA/Assessment Placement Survey
2021-2025 Employment
Educational Debt
Data represent debt incurred while at ISU, including students with no debt. Values are in thousands of dollars.
Source: ISU Office of Financial Aid
Median Debt


Salary
First job – data include both full and part-time employment
Source: Alumni Survey, one year post graduation
Private Practice Salary 
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $62,000 | $82,000 | $130,000 |
| 2021 | $66,000 | $80,000 | $125,000 |
| 2022 | $77,000 | $90,000 | $135,000 |
| 2023 | $30,000 | $92,000 | $160,000 |
| 2024 | $56,000 | $105,000 | $205,000 |
Advanced Training Salary
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $42,000 | $66,000 | $100,000 |
| 2021 | $28,000 | $74,000 | $87,500 |
| 2022 | $32,000 | $46,000 | $82,000 |
| 2023 | $35,000 | $52,500 | $220,000 |
| 2024 | $32,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Mixed Animal Salary 
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $63,000 | $77,500 | $90,000 |
| 2021 | $70,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| 2022 | $77,000 | $85,000 | $95,000 |
| 2023 | $35,000 | $90,000 | $125,000 |
| 2024 | $74,400 | $93,500 | $130,000 |
Food Animal Salary 
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $72,000 | $82,000 | $105,000 |
| 2021 | $75,000 | $77,500 | $80,000 |
| 2022 | $42,000 | $82,500 | $100,000 |
| 2023 | $45,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 |
| 2024 | $78,000 | $98,000 | $156,000 |
Small Animal Salary 
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $62,000 | $85,000 | $130,000 |
| 2021 | $28,000 | $85,000 | $125,000 |
| 2022 | $80,000 | $100,000 | $135,000 |
| 2023 | $38,000 | $120,000 | $220,000 |
| 2024 | $38,000 | $120,000 | $220,000 |
Equine Salary ![]()
| Year | Min | Median | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 |
| 2021 | $74,000 | $74,000 | $74,000 |
| 2022 | – | – | – |
| 2023 | – | – | – |
| 2024 | – | – | – |
Clinical Practice Salary by Location
Data represent the median reported salary for the first job in the field.
Source: AVMA Senior Survey