Introduction
The best vet schools in America educate reliable professionals who often specialize in specific areas of veterinary medicine. Several publications release annual rankings that show the best veterinary schools in the United States. Rankings usually depend on factors like peer assessment surveys, staff accomplishments, and the success of recent graduates.
The following list of the best vet schools in America draws from several rankings and the individual perspective of this website.
Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has room for about 900 students. The school stands out as one of the country’s best because it draws professors from four departments within the university. Doing so gives students a well-rounded education with classes on veterinary ethics, practitioner wellness, and clinical communication skills.
During their third and fourth years in the program, students get to hone their surgical skills by practicing on an artificial tissue that looks and feels much like real animal tissue. As a result, they get to learn advanced surgical techniques without putting animals in harm’s way.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has a low acceptance rate. The program typically accepts less than 15% of people who apply. As one of the country’s most prestigious veterinary colleges, it receives thousands of applications per year. The school only has seats for 120 students each year, though.
Cornell makes sure that students start learning as soon as they enter the classroom. Students begin working with live animals on the very first day. This approach ensures that everyone in the program remains committed to meeting the highest levels of professionalism and education. Anyone unable to keep up with peers will not stay in the veterinary college for long.
North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Students attending the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine get to combine their doctor in veterinary medicine with other degrees like an MBA or Ph.D. It’s a unique opportunity that attracts students who want to excel in veterinary management as well as treating animals.
Students at the school definitely get a hands-on education. During their fourth year at the school, they work with animals at the North Carolina State Veterinary Hospital, where they get to treat a wide range of animals under the guidance of renowned veterinarians.
Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine has been educating students since 1885, making it one of the country’s oldest veterinary schools. The college attracts people from all over the country with signature programs that concentrate on:
- Comparative and transitional oncology.
- Infectious diseases.
- Neuromusculoskeletal science.
The in-depth knowledge learned in these educational tracks lets graduates specialize in topics far outside the experience of most veterinarians.
Texas A&M University Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M University Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences operates programs in small animal clinical sciences, large animal clinical sciences, veterinary pathobiology, physiology and pharmacology, and veterinary integrative biosciences.
Having so many academic areas within one university means students get educations that prepare them for practicing in niche professions. Students can even take classes in dermatology, dentistry, and equine health. The school’s equine center stands out as one of the best in the nation.
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has programs that you don’t find at many veterinary colleges. It’s where students go when they want to practice in animal welfare, conservation medicine, and wildlife services. The school has a strong program that prepares veterinarians that plan to heal family pets, but it also excels at teaching people how to treat diverse types of animals, including elephants, tigers, and endangered species.
University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine has specialty tracks that exist at few veterinary schools. In addition to a well-rounded veterinary education, students can choose to concentrate on topics like:
- Immunology and infectious diseases.
- Poultry medicine.
- Disease physiology and pathogenesis.
- Vaccinology.
- Toxicology and pharmacology.
- Regenerative medicine.
- Wildlife diseases.
- Clinical translational research.
The college’s focus on research makes it a destination for veterinarians who want to explore cutting-edge subjects that contribute to the field’s knowledge. Students work directly with animals, but they also have opportunities to explore theoretical research that could open doors to new treatment options in the future.
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine goes far outside the world of cats and dogs. The school’s programs tend to focus on the needs of animal agriculture. Some programs at the school dive into subjects like:
- Swine health.
- Animal health and food safety.
- Secure food systems.
- Dairy cow health maintenance.
The Leatherdale Equine Center prepares future veterinarians who want to specialize in caring for horses. The school has a remarkable raptor center that’s unlike few programs in the country. At the raptor center, students can work with falcons, owls, hawks, and eagles. They learn about conservation, rehabilitation, and medical care for these carnivorous birds.
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
PennVet operates two animal hospitals in Pennsylvania. The location in Kennett Square, PA offers care for horses, livestock, and other farm animals. The Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia has an ongoing relationship with the university’s Perelman School of Medicine. Students at the Philadelphia campus enjoy courses taught through a partnership with the medical school. As a result, graduates have a deeper understanding of medicine as it applies to all animals.
Areas of research at PennVet include:
- Toxicology.
- Genetics.
- Transgenesis and germ cells.
- Stem cell biology.
- Immunology.
- Cell and molecular biology.
- Musculoskeletal systems.
Without the medical facility, students wouldn’t have the resources needed to become experts in these areas of medicine.
University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine is not only one of the best veterinary schools in the country. It’s also one of the most affordable. In-state students pay about $30,000 per year. The school’s administrators work hard to raise money for scholarships and research grants. During the 2018-2019 school year, they awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships and $28.9 million in grants.
Outside of class, students can deepen their skills by working in research labs, partnering with faculty members, and joining the graduate research training team.
Any vet school can teach students how to take care of common ailments experienced by domesticated animals. These schools go further by offering students experiences in highly focused areas of study, opportunities to treat wildlife, and access to research labs where they can participate in ongoing research that may lead to breakthroughs in health science.