by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 34 U.S. colleges awarded 3,882 degrees and certificates in Veterinary Medicine. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 98% of graduates. College Factual ranks 34 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Medicine Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $100,891 one year after completing, rising to $132,863 after four years.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, veterinary medicine is a popular field of study, with 3,882 degrees awarded annually. 34 colleges award veterinary medicine degrees, an average of 114 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 183.
By level, the 3,882 awards include 64 master’s degrees and 3,818 doctorates.
Women earned 84% of veterinary medicine degrees and certificates in the latest year (3,248 of 3,882). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (2,656) and Hispanic or Latino (463), and international students earned 44.
College Factual ranks 34 schools in its 2027 Best Veterinary Medicine Schools ranking, including 33 for doctorates. It also ranks veterinary medicine schools within 25 states. In all, 34 colleges offer veterinary medicine programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Veterinary Medicine Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common veterinary medicine credential is the doctorate: 3,818 of the 3,882 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to veterinary medicine call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Active Learning, and for knowledge of Biology, Medicine and Dentistry and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a veterinary medicine degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 64 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3,818 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to veterinary medicine, at 62.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 62.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 14.0% |
| Master’s degree | 10.8% |
| First professional degree | 6.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Veterinary Medicine, with an average median salary of $49,930; the strongest outlook belongs to Veterinarians, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Animal Surgeon, Equine Dentist, Veterinary Microbiologist (Vet Microbiologist) and Poultry Veterinarian (Poultry Vet).
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to veterinary medicine, at 3,199,646.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 3,199,646 | 13.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
Veterinary Medicine graduates earn a median $100,891 one year after completing their program, $132,863 after four years and $120,657 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $100,891 |
| 4 years | $132,863 |
| 5 years | $120,657 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to veterinary medicine, with a median salary of $53,196.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Veterinarians | $53,196 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Veterinary Medicine includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Veterinary Medicine (3,882). It has 18 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 50,251 degrees a year; the largest are Agricultural Business and Management (8,920), Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians (8,916) and Animal Sciences (8,777). Browse all Agriculture majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,882 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 8,920 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 8,916 |
| Animal Sciences | 8,777 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 4,242 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 3,822 |
| Plant Sciences | 3,510 |
| Agriculture, General | 3,002 |
| Food Science and Technology | 2,250 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 1,491 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | 1,217 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
