U.S. veterinarians 2018
These statistics show U.S. veterinary positions as of December 31, 2018.
Total = 113,394
Male = 43,345
Female = 69,908
Unknown = 141
U.S. veterinary positions (among employed veterinarians)
Definitions of categories below
Private clinical practice
Total as of
|
Percent of Total |
Male
|
Female
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food animal exclusive | 1,286 | 1.8% | 77.1% | 22.9% |
| Food animal predominant | 3,105 | 8.7% | 74.3% | 25.7% |
| Mixed animal | 4,182 | 5.7% | 56.0% | 44.0% |
| Companion animal predominant | 6,372 | 8.7% | 49.0% | 51.0% |
| Companion animal exclusive | 48,898 | 66.6% | 35.9% | 64.0% |
| Equine | 4,125 | 5.6% | 45.8% | 54.2% |
| Other | 309 | 0.4% | 35.3% | 64.7% |
| Species Unspecified | 5,096 | 6.9% | 21.8% | 78.1% |
Total Private Practice |
73,373 |
100% |
40.1% |
59.9% |
Public & corporate employment
Total as of
|
Percent of Total |
Male
|
Female
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College or university | 6,889 | 40.8% | 41.2% | 58.8% |
| Federal government | 1,869 | 11.1% | 51.0% | 49.0% |
| State or local government | 1,122 | 6.6% | 45.3% | 54.7% |
| Uniformed services | 760 | 4.5% | 48.2% | 51.7% |
| Industry | 3,555 | 21.0% | 53.1% | 46.9% |
| Other Public & Corporate | 2,702 | 16.0% | 30.1% | 69.9% |
Total Public & Corporate |
16,897 |
100% |
43.3% |
56.7% |
Employment Unknown |
28,375 |
|
|
|
Not Listed Above |
2,007 |
|||
Total # of Positions held by
|
120,652 |
1 Includes active AVMA members (Regular, Recent Graduates, and Educational) and Non-members (Excludes non-members born prior to 1948 and non-members who received their veterinary degree prior to 1974)
2 Veterinarians may hold more than one position.
Updated 1/19.
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.