Also called: Animal Pathologist
Diagnoses animal disease by examining tissues, blood, and necropsies (animal autopsies).
Spends days at a microscope diagnosing biopsies sent from vet clinics, performs necropsies to figure out why zoo animals or wildlife died, and helps catch disease outbreaks like bird flu early. Many work for drug companies on safety studies.
Estimate; board-certified specialists typically earn well above general-practice vets. Industry roles pay most.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 13 years after high school. Bachelor's, 4-year DVM, a 1-year internship, then a 3-4 year pathology residency (or PhD) and board certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school, Graduate school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Animal Science, Biology, Pre-Veterinary, Zoology.
Growing much faster than average (about 10% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Digital-slide AI screens biopsies and will cut routine reads; necropsies, outbreak work and final calls stay with pathologists.
Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, Microbiology.
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.