Security Guard vs Veterinarian

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Veterinarian

Easier to Obtain

Security Guard

Lower Fee

Security Guard

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Security Guard	Veterinarian
Category	Public Safety	Healthcare
Median Salary	$36,970	$119,100
Avg Initial Fee	$74	$400
Difficulty	Low	Very High
Education	Guard Training (8-40 hours)	DVM (4 years post-bachelor)
Exam	State Guard Card Exam	NAVLE
Time to License	1-2 weeks	8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	8 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	35 of 53	53 of 53

Salary Comparison

Security Guard

Median Salary$36,970

Avg Salary$36,970

Avg License Fee$74

Veterinarian

Median Salary$119,100

Avg Salary$119,100

Avg License Fee$400

Veterinarian earns $82,130 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $821,300 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

Security GuardView all 53 state requirements VeterinarianView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Veterinarian has a higher median salary at $119,100 per year, compared to $36,970 for Security Guard — a difference of $82,130 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Security Guard or a Veterinarian?

Security Guard licensing is rated Low difficulty, while Veterinarian is rated Very High. Security Guard requires Guard Training (8-40 hours) and typically takes 1-2 weeks, compared to DVM (4 years post-bachelor) and 8 years for Veterinarian.

Which license costs more: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Veterinarian has a higher average initial fee of $400, while Security Guard averages $74 — a difference of $326.

Do all states require a license for Security Guard and Veterinarian?

Security Guard requires licensing in 35 of 53 jurisdictions, while Veterinarian requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Security Guard typically takes 1-2 weeks from start to licensure, while Veterinarian takes 8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Security Guard	Veterinarian
Category	Public Safety	Healthcare
Median Salary	$36,970	$119,100
Avg Initial Fee	$74	$400
Difficulty	Low	Very High
Education	Guard Training (8-40 hours)	DVM (4 years post-bachelor)
Exam	State Guard Card Exam	NAVLE
Time to License	1-2 weeks	8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	8 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	35 of 53	53 of 53

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Veterinarian has a higher median salary at $119,100 per year, compared to $36,970 for Security Guard — a difference of $82,130 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Security Guard or a Veterinarian?

Which license costs more: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Veterinarian has a higher average initial fee of $400, while Security Guard averages $74 — a difference of $326.

Do all states require a license for Security Guard and Veterinarian?

Security Guard requires licensing in 35 of 53 jurisdictions, while Veterinarian requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Security Guard or Veterinarian?

Security Guard typically takes 1-2 weeks from start to licensure, while Veterinarian takes 8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.