Present-US-veterinary-colleges

Present Veterinary Colleges in the United States - Historical Background

Aside from the private veterinary colleges founded in the late 19th and early 20th century that all had closed by 1927, a number of land-grant and private universities established veterinary departments to teach aspects of veterinary science to agriculture students. Many of those programs expanded into DVM degree-granting colleges of veterinary medicine that remain active today.

Following World War II, many new colleges of veterinary medicine were founded in the United States to meet the post-war demand for veterinarians and the important services they provide. The trend continues in the 21st century with additional colleges being established across the country in recent years.

Commemorative Books and Historical Summaries

Given their historical background, a number of colleges have celebrated their founding, accomplishments, and activities by compiling commemorative books and summary articles in anniversary years. Many of those are listed below but their rich heritage is not limited only to these publications. Some are accessible online.

Klein AJ, comp. Professional veterinary medicine, Chapter I. Historical introduction. Survey of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Vol. 2. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1930; pp. 325-340. (US Department of Interior, Office of Education, Bulletin, No. 9).

AVMA Accredited Veterinary Colleges (2026)

Historical Background on Present Veterinary Colleges in the United States

Last updated 2026 January 30

Note: The current name of the institution is used below.

Ames (Story), Iowa

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1879

Celebrated 125 years in 2004

Stange, Charles H. History of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State College, 1879 - Semi-centennial - 1929. Ames, Iowa, [The College] 1929.

Packer, R.A. The First 100 Years of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University: A Pictoral History. [Ames? : Iowa State University?, 1981?]

Philadelphia (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

School of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1884

Celebrated 125 years in 2009

History of the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, 1884-1934: compiled by the faculty in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the school's founding. Philadelphia, The Veterinary Alumni Society, 1935.

Martin, John E. A Legacy and a Promise: The first one hundred years, 1884-1984, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. [Philadelphia]: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, 1984.

Columbus (Franklin), Ohio

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1885

Celebrated 125 years in 2010

Compton, Richard, et al. A Legacy for Tomorrow, 1885-1985, The 100 year history of College of Veterinary Medicine. Columbus, Ohio: College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, c1984.

Transformation and Tradition:125 years advancing veterinary medicine 1885-2010. 38 pgs.

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Ithaca (Tompkins), New York

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1894

Celebrated 125 years in 2019

Leonard, Ellis P. A Cornell Heritage: Veterinary Medicine 1868-1908. Ithaca, NY: New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, 1979.

Leonard, Ellis P. In the James Law Tradition: 1908-1948. Ithaca, NY: New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, 1982.

A Centennial celebration: 100 years of creating a healthier future for animals and people, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1994.

Pullman (Whitman), Washington

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1899

Celebrated 125 years in 2024

[Wegner, Earl Edward]. State of Washington. History of Veterinary Medicine. [Seattle, WA]: [E.E. Wegner], circa 1955.

Diamond Jubilee of the College of Veterinary Medicine. [Pullman, WA]: Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1974.

Kansas State univ - Leisure Hall 022veterinary.hall.jpg

Manhattan (Riley), Kansas

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1905

Celebrated 100 years in 2005

Dykstra, Ralph R. Veterinary Medicine in Kansas. [s.l.]: Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, 1953.

Trotter, Don M. Review of 80 Years, 1905-1985, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University. 1985.

Elmore, Ronnie G. and Howard H. Erickson. A Century of Excellence: Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Co., c2005.

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Auburn (Lee), Alabama

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1907

Celebrated 100 years in 2007

Hendrix, Sam. The Cary Legacy: Dr. Charles Allen Carey, Father of veterinary medicine in the South. Montgomery, AL: The Donnell Group, 2018.

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Fort Collins (Larimer), Colorado

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Founded 1907

Celebrated 100 years in 2007

McGuire, J. Dennis and James E. Hansen II. Chiron's Time: A History of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Scinces at Colorado State University. Fort Collins, Colo. : Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Endowment Fund, c1983.

Michigan State - surgery_clinics_building 1910s.jpg

East Lansing (Clinton & Ingham), Michigan

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1910

Celebrated 100 years in 2010

Morrill, Charles Cleon. Veterinary Medicine in Michigan: An Illustrated History. East Lansing, MI: College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 1979.

Krehbiel, Janver D. and Frederik J. Derksen. A History of Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine: More than 50 years of progress, 1970-2022. [East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, 2024.

College Station (Brazos), Texas

TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Founded 1916

Celebrated 100 years in 2016

Burn, Patton W. Veterinary medicine at Texas A & M University 1958-1975. [s.l. : s.n., 1976?]

College of veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Celebrating CVM 100 years 1916-2016: Serving every Texas every day. n every day. College Station, Texas : College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, [2016].

Tuskegee (Macon), Alabama

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Memdicine

Founded 1945

Celebrated 75 years in 2020

Adams, Eugene W. The Legacy: A History of the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine. Tuskegee AL: The Media Center Press, Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1995.

Athens (Clarke), Georgia

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1945

Celebrated 75 years in 2025

Mercer, J.T. and Robert Duncan. The Year of Jubilee: A History of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. [Athens, Ga.]: The College, c2000.

75th Anniversary Edition. Aesculapian [Magazine]. Spring 2025.

Columbia (Boone), Missouri

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1947

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Saint Paul (Ramsey), Minnesota

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1947

Davis (Yolo), California

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA at DAVIS

School of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1948

Jasper, D.E. Formative years [pt. 3]. Calif Vet. 1953 May-Jun:19-20,22-23,26-28.

Jasper, D.E. Coming of age. [pt.,4]. Calif Vet.

Jasper DE. A Short History of the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California. Davis: March 1964.

Urbana (Champaign), Illinois

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - URBANA

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1948

Stillwater (Payne), Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1948

Williams, Eric I. A history of the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Stillwater: Oklahoma State university, c1986.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University,1948-1988: forty years of education, research and compassion. [s.l.]: 1988.

West Lafayette (Tippecanoe), Indiana

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

School of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1960

Celebrating a Continuum of Excellence: Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine 1959-2009.

School of Veterinary Medicine marks 50th anniversary. Insider Purdue. May 8, 2009.

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1973

Mississippi (Oktibbeha), Mississippi

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1974

Univ Tennessee - Clyde_M_York_Building_Dedication_BW-1024x750.jpg

Knoxville (Knox), Tennessee

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1974

Gainesville (Alachua), Florida

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1976

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North Grafton (Worcester), Massachusetts

TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1978

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Blacksburg (Montgomery), Virginia

VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1978

Corvallis (Benton), Oregon

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Gary R. Carlson, MD, College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1979

Raleigh (Wake), North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1982

Moore, William, L.J. Faulhaber, and James H. Brown. Veterinary History of North Carolina. 2nd ed. New Bern, N.C. : Owen G. Dunn Co., 1946.

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Madison (Dane), Wisconsin

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1983

Pomona (Los Angeles), California

WESTERN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 1998

Harrogate (Claiborne), Tennessee

LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 2011

Boehnke, Megan. Lincoln Memorial to open veterinary college in 2014. Knox News. July 9, 2013.

Glendale (Maricopa), Arizona

MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded 2012

xxxxx

UNIVERSITY

College of Veterinary Medicine

Founded

Present Veterinary Colleges in the United States - Historical Background

History of the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, 1884-1934: compiled by the faculty in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the school's founding. Philadelphia, The Veterinary Alumni Society, 1935.

​

Martin, John E. A Legacy and a Promise: The first one hundred years, 1884-1984, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. [Philadelphia]: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, 1984.

Celebrated 100 years in 2016

​

Burn, Patton W. Veterinary medicine at Texas A & M University 1958-1975. [s.l. : s.n., 1976?]

College of veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Celebrating CVM 100 years 1916-2016: Serving every Texas every day. n every day. College Station, Texas : College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, [2016].​​

College of veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Celebrating CVM 100 years 1916-2016: Serving every Texas every day. n every day. College Station, Texas : College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, [2016].