How to become a veterinarian

1. 1Take biology, chemistry and math in high school, and work with animals

   Time: 4 years (high school)Sources 1

   Load up on biology, chemistry, physics and math, because vet school prerequisites build directly on them. Start collecting hands-on animal hours early: volunteer at a shelter, work at a boarding kennel, show livestock through 4-H or FFA, or help at a stable. Vet schools look separately at animal experience and at veterinary experience under a vet's supervision, and both take time to build. Ask a local clinic about shadowing.

2. 2Complete pre-vet coursework, usually within a bachelor's degree

   Time: 3-4 yearsCost: Undergraduate tuitionSources 1, 7

   There is no required pre-vet major; biology, animal science and chemistry are common, but any major works if you finish the prerequisites. Expect courses in general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, biology, physics, math or statistics, plus English and social sciences. Requirements vary by school, so check AAVMC's Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) listing for each program you plan to apply to. Keep grades high in the sciences, since admission is competitive.

3. 3Apply through VMCAS

   Time: One application cycle (about a year before you start)Cost: Application feesSources 7

   Most U.S. vet schools take applications through the AAVMC's Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). You submit transcripts, letters of recommendation (usually including one from a veterinarian), an essay, and a record of your animal and veterinary experience hours. Some schools add interviews or supplemental questions. Many applicants apply to several schools; in-state public programs usually charge residents far less, so include your home-state school if you have one.

4. 4Earn a DVM or VMD at an AVMA-accredited college

   Time: 4 yearsCost: About $23,500-$69,000/yr tuition (2026-27 examples)Sources 1, 5, 6

   The program's first years cover anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology and infectious disease across many species, with labs and early clinical skills. The last year is spent on clinical rotations in a teaching hospital, treating real patients in surgery, medicine, emergency and production animal services. Accreditation by the AVMA Council on Education matters, because graduates of accredited schools go straight to the NAVLE. Costs vary widely: a Georgia resident at UGA pays far less than a non-resident at Cornell.

5. 5Pass the NAVLE

   Time: Final year of vet schoolCost: $825 (2026)Sources 3, 4, 10

   The North American Veterinary Licensing Examination has 360 multiple-choice questions in 12 blocks and has 7 hours 36 minutes of testing time. ICVA offers it in three testing windows a year (for 2026-27: October-November, March, and July-August), with application deadlines several months earlier. Students at accredited programs can take it during their final year, up to twice before graduation. Scores are sent to state boards through the AAVSB's VAULT service rather than to candidates.

6. 6Apply for a state license

   Time: 1-3 monthsCost: $50 VAULT transfer plus state feesSources 4, 8

   Apply to the veterinary board in the state where you will practice with your transcript, diploma, references and NAVLE scores. Many states also require a jurisprudence exam on their own veterinary laws, which the AAVSB administers for some of them. Few states accept another state's license automatically, so each new state usually means a new application. Use the CareerOneStop License Finder to find your state board and fees.

7. 7Optional: internship, residency and board certification

   Time: 3-4 more yearsCost: Paid training positionsSources 2

   Vets who want to specialize in surgery, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, dermatology, oncology or another field usually complete a one-year internship and then a two- to three-year residency supervised by board-certified specialists. They then pass the certification exam of an AVMA-recognized specialty organization to become a diplomate. Most vets skip this route and go straight into general practice after licensing.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Diagnostic reasoning

Animals cannot describe their symptoms, so a vet has to piece together the exam, the owner's account and test results to find the problem.

Surgical precision

Routine spays, mass removals and emergency surgeries on small patients leave little margin for error.

Explaining choices and costs

Owners usually pay out of pocket, so vets must lay out treatment options and prices clearly enough for a family to decide.

Compassion under strain

Euthanasia, abused animals and grieving owners are part of ordinary weeks, and handling them well protects both clients and the vet's own health.

Safe animal handling

A frightened dog or a kicking cow can injure the vet and the staff, so reading body language and restraining safely is essential.

Team leadership

Vets direct technicians and assistants through busy days and emergencies, and many eventually manage or own a practice.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, active listening, active learning, speaking, science.

Training cost

$107K–$277K

Before financial aid

Time

8 years

Typical path

Median pay

$130,100

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

1.3–3.5 yrs

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

DVM program tuition and fees only, plus the NAVLE fee ($825) and the AAVSB VAULT score transfer for a first license ($50). Low: University of Georgia, Georgia resident, 2026-27 rates: 3 years x $23,526 + $35,289 for the 12-month third year = $105,867, plus $875. High: Cornell, non-resident tuition of $68,935 for 2026-27 x 4 years = $275,740, plus $875 (assumes no tuition increases). Not included: bachelor's degree, living costs (Cornell estimates the full non-resident cost of attendance at $106,026 a year), state license fees. For context, the median federal loan debt for veterinary medicine graduates in College Scorecard is $181,744.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Board-certified veterinary specialist

  Complete a one-year internship and a two- to three-year residency, then pass an AVMA-recognized specialty organization's certification exam.

• Practice owner or partner

  Buy into or start a clinic after several years in practice; business and management skills matter as much as clinical ones.

• Veterinary school faculty$82,250 median

  Teaching hospital faculty are usually board-certified, and research positions often require a PhD in addition to the DVM.

• Public health or food safety veterinarian

  Federal, state and local agencies hire vets for food inspection, disease control and outbreak response; some of these roles do not require a state license.