U.S. veterinarian numbers 2016
These statistics show U.S. veterinary positions as of December 31, 2016.
| Total (No.)1 | Male | Female | Unknown | |
| Total | 107,995 | 43,996 | 63,857 | 142 |
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| U.S. veterinary positions (among employed veterinarians) Definitions of categories below
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| Total as of December 31, 20161,2 |
Percent of total | Male % |
Female % |
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Private clinical practice |
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| Food animal exclusive | 1,243 | 1.8% | 78.6% | 21.4% |
| Food animal predominant | 3,311 | 4.9% | 77.2% | 22.8% |
| Mixed animal | 4,158 | 6.1% | 59.5% | 40.5% |
| Companion animal predominant | 6,121 | 9.0% | 53.0% | 47.0% |
| Companion animal exclusive | 44,667 | 65.5% | 38.8% | 61.2% |
| Equine | 3,920 | 5.7% | 50.6% | 49.4% |
| Other | 274 | 0.4% | 38.0% | 62.0% |
| Species unspecified | 4,519 | 6.6% | 22.4% | 77.5% |
| Total private practice | 68,213 | 100% | 43.4% | 56.6% |
Public & corporate employment |
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| College or university | 6,702 | 41.5% | 43.3% | 56.7% |
| Federal government | 1,846 | 11.4% | 54.7% | 45.3% |
| State or local government | 1,051 | 6.5% | 49.8% | 50.2% |
| Uniformed services | 773 | 4.8% | 48.5% | 51.5% |
| Industry | 3,354 | 20.8% | 56.0% | 44.0% |
| Other public & corporate | 2,420 | 15.0% | 33.6% | 66.4% |
| Total public & corporate | 16,146 | 100% | 46.2% | 53.8% |
| Employment unknown | 28,140 | |||
| Not listed above | 1,763 | |||
| Total # of positions held by U.S. veterinarians |
114,262 | |||
1 Includes active AVMA members (Regular, Recent Graduates, and Educational) and Non-members (Excludes non-members born prior to 1946 and non-members who received their veterinary degree prior to 1972)
2 Veterinarians may hold more than one position.
Updated 1/17.
The species categories listed under private clinical practice can be defined by the following calculations.
Species categories
- Food animal exclusive: Sum of (Bovine, Porcine, Ovine/Caprine, Camelid, Cervid and Poultry) is at least 90% of the contact.
- Food animal predominant: Sum of (Bovine, Porcine, Ovine/Caprine, Camelid, Cervid and Poultry) is at least 50% of the contact.
- Mixed animal: Varied species with at least 25% from companion animal and 25% from either food animal or equine.
- Companion animal predominant: Sum of (Canine, Feline, Avian (non-poultry) and Exotics) is at least 50% of the contact.
- Companion animal exclusive: Sum of (Canine, Feline, Avian (non-poultry) and Exotics) is at least 90% of the contact.
- Equine: Combination of equine predominant and exclusive where there's at least 50% contact with equines.