Also called: DACVAA, Animal Anesthesia Specialist
Specialist who keeps animals safe and pain-free under anesthesia.
Designs an anesthesia plan for a 15-year-old dog with heart disease, puts a giraffe under for a zoo procedure, and manages pain for patients after major surgery.
Estimate; BLS veterinarians overall median about $130k (May 2025), specialists earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 12 years after high school. Bachelor's, 4-year DVM, 1-year internship, then a 3-year specialty residency and board exam.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Animal Science, Biology, Pre-Veterinary Studies.
Growing much faster than average. Veterinarians grow faster than average; specialists are in short supply.
Low risk for 10 years. Smart monitors and dosing aids help; designing plans for fragile or exotic patients and handling crises stay specialist work.
Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Physics, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1131.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.