Veterinary schools in the US
As of November 5, 2026, the AVMA Council on Education lists 39 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States and Puerto Rico: 31 accredited, 1 on probationary accreditation and 7 with provisional accreditation. A 40th school, in Maryland, holds a letter of reasonable assurance, which is not accreditation. Vet school takes four years after prerequisite courses and leads to a DVM or VMD degree.
How many veterinary schools are in the US?
The AVMA Council on Education (COE) is the accreditor for colleges of veterinary medicine in the US, and its page is "the only official online list" of the colleges it accredits. Counting that list and the COE's September 2026 accreditation actions (published October 27, 2026):
| AVMA COE status | US colleges | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited | 27 | No deficiencies in any standard; granted for up to seven years. |
| Accredited with minor deficiencies | 4 | Minor issues with little or no effect on students, expected to be fixed within a year. |
| Probationary Accreditation | 1 | One or more major deficiencies that must be corrected within two years. |
| Provisional Accreditation | 7 | New colleges, granted when the first class starts. It can last no more than five years. |
| Letter of reasonable assurance | 1 | A planned college may recruit its first class. This is not accreditation. |
That makes 39 accredited US colleges, one of them in Puerto Rico, so 38 are in the 50 states. The COE also accredits 22 colleges outside the US: 5 in Canada and 17 in other countries, including two in the Caribbean. They are not listed here. Colleges change status after each COE meeting, so check a college's line on the AVMA page before you apply.
List of AVMA-accredited veterinary schools
Every US college on the AVMA list, by state, with the status exactly as the AVMA COE gives it. Status is current through the September 2026 COE meeting.
Veterinary schools by state
Thirty-one states and Puerto Rico have at least one accredited college. California has two: UC Davis and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona (vet schools in California). Texas has two: Texas A&M in College Station and Texas Tech in Amarillo (vet schools in Texas). Alabama, Arizona, Florida, New York and Tennessee also have two each. Most other states with a college have one.
Each state page lists its colleges or, for states without one, the seat programs open to residents. For example, see vet schools for Wyoming residents or Maryland.
How to get into vet school
Admission is competitive and each college sets its own rules, so read the admissions page of every school you apply to. The common steps are below.
- Prerequisite courses. Science courses such as biology and chemistry, set by each college. The AAVMC applicant guide says "a bachelor's degree is not required at most US Veterinary Schools."
- Experience. Time with animals and with veterinarians. The AAVMC notes that most schools require a letter of recommendation from a veterinarian. Working as a veterinary assistant is a common way to get both.
- VMCAS. Most colleges take applications through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service, run by the AAVMC. For the 2027 cycle it opened January 21, 2026, and the deadline was September 15 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. It charges $241 for the first program and $132 for each additional one, and some schools add a supplemental fee.
- Four years of school. The AAVMC says almost all US and Canadian programs last four years, usually three years of classroom and lab work and one year of clinical training. A few schools differ; Lincoln Memorial University's new Orange Park campus describes a three-year program.
- The NAVLE and a state license. The North American Veterinary Licensing Examination is required for licensure in every US and Canadian jurisdiction. The ICVA offers it in three windows a year. You then apply to the state board where you will practice.
Residency matters. Many public colleges reserve seats or charge lower tuition for residents of their own state, and the regional programs below extend that to some states without a college.
How much does vet school cost?
Tuition ranges widely between public and private schools and between residents and non-residents. As one example, Tufts lists estimated 2026-2027 DVM tuition of $69,696 for Massachusetts residents and $75,696 for out-of-state students, before living costs (Tufts: tuition and fees). Check each college's cost page for the year you would start.
Debt is the clearest national figure. According to the AVMA's 2026 Senior Survey, reported October 8, 2026:
- The class of 2026 left school with an average of $227,588 in veterinary school debt among those who borrowed, and $185,424 across all graduates.
- 18.5% had no debt from veterinary college, while 43.3% owed $200,000 or more.
- On average, new graduates entering full-time jobs owed 1.5 times their expected first-year pay.
Paying in-state tuition is the biggest lever. That is why the seat programs below matter for residents of states without a college.
States without a veterinary school
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have no accredited college: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. Maryland's school at UMES is still at the letter of reasonable assurance stage. Many of these states pay for seats or reduced tuition at colleges elsewhere.
| State | How residents usually get in-state or reduced tuition |
|---|---|
| Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Wyoming | WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program: the home state pays a support fee and the student pays reduced tuition at participating western colleges. Seats are limited, and Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico require graduates to return to practice in the state. |
| Montana | WA-MT Regional Program with Montana State and Washington State, plus WICHE support. |
| Idaho | Up to 11 reserved seats per class at Washington State University. |
| Nebraska | Joint program with Iowa State: two years in Lincoln, two in Ames, at Iowa State resident tuition. |
| South Dakota | Joint program with the University of Minnesota: two years at South Dakota State, two in St. Paul. |
| Alaska | Joint program with Colorado State: two years in Fairbanks, two in Fort Collins. |
| Maryland | The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is the in-state college, with 30 seats per class for Maryland residents. |
| Kentucky | Contract seats at Auburn University, administered by KHEAA. |
| Delaware | State-funded seats at the University of Georgia and Oklahoma State. |
| West Virginia | Contract seats at Virginia-Maryland and Mississippi State. |
| Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, DC | No contract-seat program found. Residents apply to colleges in other states as non-residents. Maine offers a forgivable veterinary loan. |
Seat counts and funding change with state budgets. Arizona, for example, stopped taking new WICHE veterinary applications as of fall 2026. Each state page links the program's own page. WICHE encourages veterinary applicants to apply to their state office by September 1 of the year before they enroll.
New veterinary schools
Several colleges have opened in the last few years, and more are coming. Under COE rules, a new school first gets a letter of reasonable assurance, then provisional accreditation when its first class starts. A college can stay on provisional accreditation for no more than five years.
- Arkansas State University (Jonesboro): the state's first veterinary college. The COE granted provisional accreditation in September 2026.
- Clemson University (South Carolina): the state's first veterinary college. Its first class started in August 2026, and the COE granted provisional accreditation in September 2026.
- Lincoln Memorial University at Orange Park (Florida): first class started in June 2026; provisional accreditation granted June 2026.
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne): granted a letter of reasonable assurance in September 2026. The school plans to admit its first class in 2027.
- Still on provisional accreditation: Long Island University (New York), Rowan University (New Jersey), Utah State University and Universidad Ana G. Méndez (Puerto Rico).
Veterinary school vs vet tech school
They are different programs that lead to different jobs. Veterinary school is a four-year doctoral program that makes you a veterinarian who diagnoses, prescribes and operates. Vet tech school is usually a two-year associate degree accredited by a different AVMA committee (the CVTEA), and it leads to the VTNE and a state credential as a veterinary technician. Many people searching for "vet schools" in a state are looking for vet tech programs, and many vet techs later apply to vet school.
- Vet tech programs: vet tech schools by state and online vet tech programs.
- The vet tech route step by step: how to become a vet tech.
Veterinarian pay and jobs
Veterinarians earned a median of $130,100 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The AVMA reports that 2026 graduates going into full-time jobs expected average pay of $131,784, and $133,056 in private practice. Pay varies a lot by state and practice type: see veterinarian salary by state and current veterinarian jobs.
FAQ
How many vet schools are in the US?
As of November 5, 2026, the AVMA lists 39 accredited US veterinary colleges, one of them in Puerto Rico: 31 accredited, 1 on probation and 7 with provisional accreditation. One more, in Maryland, has a letter of reasonable assurance, which is not accreditation.
How many vet schools are in California?
Two: the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in Pomona. Both are accredited by the AVMA Council on Education.
How many vet schools are in Texas?
Two: Texas A&M University in College Station and Texas Tech University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo. Both are accredited by the AVMA Council on Education.
How long is vet school?
Almost all US programs take four years after your prerequisite courses, usually three years of classes and one year of clinical training. You then pass the NAVLE and apply for a state license.
Do you need a bachelor's degree to go to vet school?
Not at most US schools, according to the AAVMC, as long as you finish the prerequisite courses. Requirements differ, so check each college's admissions page.
What is the difference between a DVM and a VMD?
They are the same professional degree. The University of Pennsylvania awards the VMD; every other US college awards the DVM.
Is vet tech school the same as vet school?
No. Vet tech school is usually a two-year program that prepares you for the VTNE and a veterinary technician credential. Vet school is a four-year doctoral program that leads to licensure as a veterinarian.
Sources
- AVMA Council on Education: Accredited veterinary colleges
- AVMA Council on Education: Notice of accreditation actions, September 2026 (published October 27, 2026)
- AVMA Council on Education: Notice of accreditation actions, June 2026
- AVMA Council on Education: Notice of accreditation actions, March 2026
- AAVMC: VMCAS 2027 Applicant Guide
- International Council for Veterinary Assessment: NAVLE
- AVMA News: New veterinary graduates face rising debt, lower real income (October 8, 2026)
- Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine: Tuition and fees
- WICHE: PSEP application information by state
- Montana University System: WICHE and WA-MT Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine
- Washington State University: DVM residency information
- Iowa State University: Contract and state programs
- South Dakota State University: Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine
- Colorado State University: UAF/CSU Collaborative Veterinary Program
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: About
- Auburn University: Kentucky Veterinary Contract Spaces Program
- State of Delaware budget: Delaware Institute of Veterinary Medical Education
- West Virginia University: WV veterinary contract information
- Clemson University: History in the making, Clemson welcomes its inaugural class of veterinary students (August 31, 2026)
- Lincoln Memorial University: College of Veterinary Medicine at Orange Park
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore: School of Veterinary Medicine
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Veterinarians, Occupational Outlook Handbook
Get veterinary jobs in your state by email
We are adding vet tech, assistant and veterinarian jobs state by state. Leave your email and state, and we will write when jobs in your state go up or your state's rules change. One email a week at most.