The Top 10 Cheapest Veterinary Schools Ranked

If you’re interested in a career as a veterinarian, then going to veterinary school is a requirement. But let’s face it, veterinary school isn’t exactly cheap. According to the latest data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), veterinary school graduates had an average student loan debt of $185,486. However, one in three veterinary graduates in 2023 have student debt greater than $200,000.

Going to vet school can set you back more than six figures in education costs, even if you take advantage of financial aid, like scholarships and grants. That’s why it’s important to consider low-cost schools and calculate the overall cost. Here are 10 of the cheapest veterinary schools for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs.

Top 10 cheapest vet schools

If you’re looking for the cheapest place to study veterinary medicine, we’ve ranked the 10 cheapest vet schools with a DVM program for in-state residents, from highest to lowest. We’ve compiled this information from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges’ (AAVMC) Cost Comparison Tool. Rankings are based on resident four-year total cost of attendance for the class of 2024, but data points for tuition and living expenses are also included.

10. Washington State University

Resident four-year tuition: $118,874

Tuition and living expenses: $197,523

Four-year total cost: $231,573

9. University of Missouri

Resident four-year tuition: $120,007

Tuition and living expenses: $196,743

Four-year total cost: $230,659

8. Texas A&M University

Resident four-year tuition: $107,242

Tuition and living expenses: $194,196

Four-year total cost: $227,614

7. Oklahoma State University

Resident four-year tuition: $101,840

Tuition and living expenses: $192,200

Four-year total cost: $225,333

6. Iowa State University

Resident four-year tuition: $128,414

Tuition and living expenses: $187,490

Four-year total cost: $219,811

5. Kansas State University

Resident four-year tuition: $95,647

Tuition and living expenses: $187,143

Four-year total cost: $219,404

4. University of Georgia

Resident four-year tuition: $85,251

Tuition and living expenses: $174,627

Four-year total cost: $204,730

3. Purdue University

Resident four-year tuition: $93,786

Tuition and living expenses: $162,186

Four-year total cost: $190,145

2. North Carolina State University

Resident four-year tuition: $78,588

Tuition and living expenses: $160,456

Four-year total cost: $188,116

1. Texas Tech University

Resident four-year tuition: $88,000

Tuition and living expenses: $157,540

Four-year total cost: $184,698

Cheapest vet schools in the U.S.

If you’re looking for the cheapest place to study veterinary medicine, going to the South or Midwest could be your best bet. As you can see from the figures above, there’s a range of tuition and fees for future veterinarians across geographic locations.

The difference is also much starker between in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition. State students can save a lot more money. Be sure to consider this factor and explore the rules about establishing residency. Tuition prices between public and private colleges also vary widely.

Cheapest private vet schools

Finding cheap private vet schools can be tough. The most affordable private vet school is likely Cornell University. New York residents pay $42,948 in tuition and fees and non-residents pay $64,042 for the 2024-25 academic year.

Another affordable option is Tuskegee University in Alabama. Where tuition and fees for vet school will set you back $45,492 per year. Tuskegee is also the same price for residents and non-residents.

Most expensive vet schools

Going to veterinary school is expensive already. But there are some vet schools with sky-high tuition. You’ll want to know what you’re getting yourself into, so be aware of these pricier schools:

• Tufts University tuition costs $63,484 for residents and $69,984 for non-residents for the 2024-25 academic year.
• The University of Pennsylvania charges residents $74,276 and non-residents $64,276 per year.
• Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine costs $64,961 per year in tuition and fees. Their 2023 graduates have an average debt of $289,458.

How to pay off veterinary school student loans

When graduating with six figures of student loan debt — or multiple six-figure student loan debt — the prospect of paying it off may seem daunting. Although veterinarians can earn a fairly good salary of $119,100 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, they don’t make as much as other doctors who graduate with similar amounts of student debt.

In many vets' cases, student loan debt can be double their annual salary, making their debt-to-income ratio high. To help you repay vet school loans, consider going on an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. This option is available to federal student loan borrowers. It minimizes monthly payments to a more affordable amount, ranging from 10% to 20% of your income depending on the IDR plan.

Our internal data at Student Loan Planner® shows that many veterinarian clients are on an income-driven repayment plan, such as the new SAVE plan (formerly REPAYE), which offers interest subsidies and other generous borrower benefits.

IDR plans can make repayment more affordable. They also may qualify for student loan forgiveness at the end of your repayment term.

If you want to lower your interest rate and get out of debt fast, student loan refinancing is a more viable option. Student loan refinancing allows borrowers to apply for a new loan and hopefully shave off some interest points. Just be aware that federal loans turn private after refinancing, so perks like IDR will no longer be an option.

Take action

If you’re looking for the cheapest vet schools in the U.S., take a look at our list and notice where tuition is lower geographically. Do more research on a handful of schools that are a good fit for you based on other personal preferences as well (e.g. housing, distance from family, and state residency status).

Whether you’re researching programs and could benefit from a pre-debt consultation or a veterinarian who needs help figuring out the best way to repay your student loan debt, we can help. We work with you to come up with a custom plan, to make paying for your veterinary school education is much less stressful.