The Current Number of Veterinarians in the U.S.

The United States has approximately 115,000 to 120,000 licensed veterinarians. This number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), which tracks veterinary professionals across all practice settings. The exact count shifts year to year as new graduates enter the profession and others retire, but the range of 115,000 to 120,000 represents the current workforce.

These veterinarians work in different settings: private animal hospitals and clinics, research facilities, government agencies, universities, zoos, and food safety positions. The largest share work in private practice, treating companion animals like dogs and cats, while others focus on livestock, exotic animals, or public health roles.

Key Takeaways

  • The United States has roughly 115,000 to 120,000 licensed veterinarians across all practice types and settings.
  • Private practice clinics employ the majority of veterinarians, with companion animal medicine being the most common specialty.
  • The number of veterinarians has grown steadily over the past two decades as demand for veterinary services has increased.
  • Veterinary school graduates add approximately 3,500 to 4,000 new licensed veterinarians to the workforce each year.
  • Veterinarian density varies significantly by state and region, with some rural areas facing shortages.

How Veterinarians Are Distributed Across Practice Settings

Private practice accounts for roughly 80 percent of all veterinarians in the U.S. These are the clinics and animal hospitals where most pet owners take their animals for routine care, surgery, and emergency treatment. Within private practice, companion animal medicine (dogs, cats, and small pets) is the largest category, followed by equine practice (horses) and mixed animal practice (both large and small animals).

The remaining 20 percent work in other settings. Government veterinarians work for agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), focusing on food safety, disease control, and animal welfare. Academic veterinarians teach at the 32 accredited veterinary schools in the United States. Research veterinarians conduct studies in pharmaceutical development, disease prevention, and animal health. Zoo and exotic animal veterinarians care for wildlife and non-traditional pets.

Growth in the Veterinary Workforce

The number of veterinarians in the U.S. has grown steadily since the early 2000s. Two decades ago, the profession had roughly 80,000 to 85,000 veterinarians. The increase reflects growing pet ownership, higher spending on pet healthcare, and increased demand for food safety and public health roles.

Veterinary schools graduate between 3,500 and 4,000 new veterinarians each year. Not all of these graduates stay in the United States—some pursue careers internationally—but the majority enter the domestic workforce. At the same time, older veterinarians retire, so the net growth is slower than the number of new graduates alone would suggest.

Regional Variation in Veterinarian Availability

Veterinarian density is not evenly spread across the country. Urban and suburban areas typically have more veterinarians per capita than rural regions. States like California, Texas, New York, and Florida have the highest absolute numbers of veterinarians because they have larger populations. However, rural counties and some Great Plains states report shortages of veterinary services, particularly for livestock and agricultural animals.

This variation matters for pet owners and farmers alike. In densely populated areas, you may have multiple clinics within a few miles. In rural areas, the nearest veterinarian might be 30 or 40 miles away, and finding someone who treats large animals or exotic species can be even more difficult. Some rural communities rely on traveling veterinarians or telemedicine consultations to fill gaps.

Specialization Within Veterinary Medicine

Not all veterinarians do the same work. The AVMA recognizes over 20 veterinary specialties, ranging from surgery and internal medicine to dermatology, oncology, and behavioral medicine. Becoming a specialist requires additional training beyond the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, usually in the form of a residency program lasting two to four years.

Specialist veterinarians are concentrated in larger cities and university veterinary hospitals. A general practitioner in a small town may refer complex cases to a specialist several hours away. This structure means that while the total number of veterinarians is substantial, the availability of specialists in any given region can be limited.

Factors Driving Demand for Veterinarians

Several trends have increased the need for veterinary services. Pet ownership has risen, and pet owners spend more on healthcare than they did 20 years ago. Advances in veterinary medicine—including advanced imaging, chemotherapy, orthopedic surgery, and rehabilitation—have created new service offerings and new jobs. Food safety regulations and disease surveillance programs require more government veterinarians. Research into zoonotic diseases (illnesses that spread from animals to humans) has expanded the role of veterinarians in public health.

These trends suggest that demand for veterinarians will continue to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of veterinarians will grow faster than the average for all occupations over the next decade, though the exact rate varies by source and year.

How Veterinarian Numbers Compare to Other Health Professions

The U.S. has roughly 1 million physicians and about 4 million nurses, so veterinarians are a much smaller profession. However, compared to some other specialized fields, veterinary medicine is substantial. There are more veterinarians than dentists (about 200,000) and far more than pharmacists (about 300,000), though the comparison depends on how you count and define each profession.

The ratio of veterinarians to animals is harder to pin down because it varies by animal type. The U.S. has roughly 90 million pet dogs and 94 million pet cats, meaning there is roughly one veterinarian for every 1,500 to 1,600 pets. For livestock, the ratio is different and depends on the region and type of animal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many veterinary schools are in the United States?

There are 32 accredited veterinary schools in the U.S., according to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. These schools are located in 26 states and produce most of the new veterinarians entering the profession each year. Some states have no veterinary school and send students to schools in neighboring states.

Is there a shortage of veterinarians in the U.S.?

Shortages are regional rather than nationwide. Rural areas and some regions report difficulty finding veterinarians, especially those who treat livestock or exotic animals. Urban and suburban areas generally have adequate veterinary services. Some veterinary clinics report staffing challenges, but this is often due to burnout and work-life balance concerns rather than an absolute shortage of graduates.

How many veterinarians work in government positions?

Roughly 5,000 to 8,000 veterinarians work for federal, state, or local government agencies. The USDA employs the largest number, followed by state departments of agriculture and public health agencies. The exact count varies by year and agency.

What percentage of veterinarians are female?

Women now make up roughly 60 percent of veterinary school graduates and an increasing share of the overall veterinary workforce. This represents a significant shift from decades past, when veterinary medicine was male-dominated. The percentage of female veterinarians in practice continues to rise as older cohorts retire.

Are there enough veterinarians to meet current demand?

In most urban and suburban areas, yes. In rural areas and for certain specialties, demand sometimes exceeds supply. Some veterinary clinics have long wait times for appointments, which can reflect either a shortage of veterinarians or high demand for services in that area.