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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 0180

Veterinary Medicine: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$143,425 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$143,425Median year-4 earnings

$21,523Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$143,425Median reported earnings · year 4

$123,216Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

85thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $263,241
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $143,425
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $127,974
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 26

26 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$133,973National median$143,42575th percentile$143,425

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

DECISION CHECK

What to compare before choosing a program

The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.

$143,42575th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs

Not availableMedian federal debt across programs that report it

0Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Midwestern University-Downers Grove$151,469 2Cornell University$143,425 3University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$133,973

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksVeterinariansSOC 29-1131 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Midwestern University-Downers GroveDoctoral Degree	Downers Grove, IL	$151,469	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
2	Cornell UniversityDoctoral Degree	Ithaca, NY	$143,425	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,690
3	University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignDoctoral Degree	Champaign, IL	$133,973	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,355

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.