American Veterinary Medical History Society
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-grand 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 those 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). ​​​
​
Historical Background on Present Veterinary Colleges in the United States
Last updated 2026 January 26 ​
Note: The current name of the institution is used below.
Ames (Story), Iowa
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1879
​
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
​
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, 1884-18=984, 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
​
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.
​
Ithaca (Tompkins), New York
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1894
​
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
​
Auburn (Lee), Alabama
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1907​
​
Hendrix, Sam. The Cary Legacy: Dr. Charles Allen Carey, Father of veterinary medicine in the South. Montgomery, AL: The Donnell Group, 2018.
Fort Collins (Larimer), Colorado
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Founded 1907
​
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.
​
East Lansing (Clinton & Ingham), Michigan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine​
Founded 1910
​
Morrill, Charles Cleon. Veterinary Medicine in Michigan: An Illustrated History. East Lansing, MI: College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 1979.
​
Krehbiel, Janver D., Derksen, Frederik J. 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 1910
​
Burs, 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
​
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
​
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.
​​
Columbia (Boone), Missouri
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1947
​
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 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.
​​
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1973
​
iMississippi (Oktibbeha), Mississippi
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1974
​
​
Knoxville (Knox), Tennessee
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1974
​
​
Gainesville (Alachua), Florida
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1976
​
​
North Grafton (Worcester), Massachusetts
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1978
​​
Blacksburg (Montgomery), Virginia
VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1978
​​
Corvallis (Benton), Oregon
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1979
​​
Raleigh (Wake), North Carolina
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 1982
​
​
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
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 2011
​
​
Glendale (Maricopa), Arizona
MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded 2012
​
​
xxxxx
UNIVERSITY
College of Veterinary Medicine
Founded
​