Veterinary Jobs USA

Digitally Connecting Vets & Practices in the US & Worldwide

vet recruitment specialist
Contact a Veterinary Job Specialist
Sign up to receive job alerts
vet job specialist
Contact an Advisor

Free Registration For

Veterinary Vacancies USA & Worldwide

Veterinarian Jobs in the US

The USA is one of the most interesting places in the world to work as a Veterinarian.

There’s a reason why many Americans decide against getting a passport: it is one of the most exciting and diverse countries in the world offering everything from the laid-back Californian beach lifestyle on the West Coast through to the hustle and bustle of New York City on the East.

It is also one of the best countries in the world to work as a Veterinarian due to the excellent salaries and potential for different working environments. The USA and American Veterinary networks have been global leaders in Veterinary clinical work and research for a long time and can offer some the best career options out there.

Popular States to Work In

With 50 states and with a population size similar to mainland Europe, there are no shortages of places to work as a Vet in America. Choosing a more rural or urban area can influence whether you deal mainly with small or large animals, although many mixed animal jobs are also available.

We have Veterinarian vacancies in popular locations such as, click on them below to see our current vacancies:

If your choice of destination is not included above, we are sure to have an option near there!

Vet Jobs USA Salaries

The USA is one of the more lucrative areas in the world to work as a Veterinary Surgeon. With the average salary for a Veterinarian ranging from USD$100K-$150K, Vets can expect a base salary starting from roughly USD$80K as a new graduate and rising towards USD$110K.

In addition, there are often strong employment contract benefits available with the option of commission bonuses or profit shares. There are also the standard continuing education, relocation and general licensing expenses covered in most contracts for Vets from overseas.

Veterinary Technician/Assistant salaries on offer can range from USD$33K -$45K. Many Vet Assistants can progress into senior management or clinical advisor positions which can command higher salary offerings. Specialist roles will have an average salary of USD$200K and above.

Work/Life Balance for DVM Jobs in America

The Vet Service is committed to finding a role that suits your needs; whether you want to work as much as possible or take a more relaxed approach, perhaps with a relief veterinary job working the hours to suit you!

There is a strong focus on work ethic for veterinarians working in the USA and holiday time may be less compared to other countries. Rotas can reflect longer weekends or blocks of days off to offset the short official holidays.

The USA Veterinary industry has worked hard over the past number of years to increase its focus on work/life balance and create a more sustainable environment for veterinary professionals. At the Vet Service we work hard to find you a role which fits your needs for a balanced working lifestyle.

Relocation Fees

Relocation fees may also be covered for American nationals moving to a different state or for international candidates migrating to the US.

At The Vet Service many of the contracts we offer are from practices with relocation packages to cut down on the initial costs involved in moving to a new country.

Relocation packages can include signing bonuses, one-off relocation payments, return flight costs, accommodation and/or vehicle provided, professional fees, further certificates paid, sponsored visas and immigration agent fees paid.

Consider the Legal Requirements

To practice as or represent yourself as a Veterinarian in the United States Of America you must be registered with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Therefore, you must have either graduated with a DVM or VMD (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree from an AVMA Council on Education (COE)-accredited school (please speak to our advisors directly for a full list of schools) or successfully completed an educational equivalency certification program. Such programs are held by the AVMA’s Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG).

The ECFVG is accepted by all USA state regulatory boards as meeting, either in full or in part, each state’s educational requirements for licensing.

Once you have earned your degree from a COE-accredited veterinary school, or earned an ECFVG or equivalency certificate if you graduated from a listed, non-accredited school, you would need to complete all state veterinary license requirements. This is inclusive of the passing of the national licensure examination completed through the International Council for Veterinary Assessment along with any state – specific examinations. For further information speak to one of our team.

State Veterinary License

You will require a state Veterinary license for each state of the USA which you will practice clinical Veterinary medicine in. This in addition to your Veterinary degree or educational equivalency certificate.

Each state has different rules and requirements for licensing – please speak to the Vet Service Team for details.

USA Work Visa for Veterinary Jobs

Before you start work in the United States of America, you need to ensure that you have an appropriate visa if you are not a citizen of the country. Please contact the Department of Immigration in the USA for further information or speak to our advisors who will point you in the right direction.

There are different options of visa type but remember holding a visa does not necessarily mean you can work as a Vet in the USA unless you hold the appropriate registration requirements as outlined above and an offer of employment. In some instances, offers of employment are conditional on Visa completion or vice versa.

Lead time for completion of the visa process can be from 3-6 months minimum so we recommend speaking to our team and instigating the process as early as possible.

You must also be able to demonstrate that you can communicate in and understand English to an appropriate standard for practising as a veterinarian in the USA. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of English competency by sitting and passing an approved English test to the required level.

Why Work as a Veterinarian in the US?

  • The salaries & perks – with the right job these can be some of the best contracts on offer in the world.
  • Small animal opportunities – from general practice to specialist roles, there has been a huge surge in pet ownership and focus on pet care over recent times which has led to a buoyant small animal work environment.
  • Large & mixed vet roles: The agricultural industry in the USA is expansive and offers work and clients that are not available in some other countries. From mega dairies to beef feedlots there is certainly not a shortage of work. However, there are still some strong local independent rural clinics, equine work and equine referral clinics that can offer valuable options for those looking for specialise in these areas.
  • There are also US State Department and University roles that also offer well-remunerated and rewarding career prospects and should not be forgotten about.
What our clients say

“Being originally from the USA, and having worked abroad for a long time, I felt that the time was right to return home and The Vet Service helped me to achieve that & the job I wanted.”