Select your location from the dropdown menu to apply the filter.
We’ll hand-match roles based on what matters to you.
We’ll hand-match roles based on what matters to you.
Few states offer as much veterinary variety under a single license. Vet jobs in New York span high-caseload city hospitals, busy suburban companion animal practices, equine work and mixed animal practice in dairy country, all backed by a strong academic and referral network.
It is a large and growing profession. New York State Education Department figures show that 597 veterinarians were newly licensed in 2025, and that 5,765 registered veterinarians had New York addresses as of January 1, 2026. Much of that work is general practice veterinary medicine, alongside emergency, specialty and large animal care.
New York City. Across the five boroughs, companion animal medicine takes center stage: apartment cats and dogs, exotic pets and a dense network of general practices, 24-hour emergency hospitals and specialty referral centers. Clients are engaged and well informed, and the city’s neighborhoods, museums and restaurants fill the hours outside work.
Long Island. Nassau and Suffolk counties are home to well-established suburban practices serving families and their pets, alongside equine work connected to the island’s horse farms and riding community. Beaches, harbor towns and the vineyards of the North Fork shape life beyond the clinic.
Hudson Valley. Stretching north from Westchester, the valley blends commuter-town small animal practice with farm, equine and mixed caseloads further upriver. Historic river towns, orchards and hiking in the Catskills give the region its character.
Capital Region. Around Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Saratoga Springs, practices serve city, suburban and rural clients, and Saratoga’s thoroughbred racing heritage makes equine medicine part of the local fabric. The Adirondacks are close by for weekends outdoors.
Central and Western New York. Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo anchor a region where companion animal hospitals sit alongside large animal and dairy practice. Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca adds a strong teaching and referral presence, while the Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie offer water, wine country and close-knit communities.
Practicing veterinary medicine in New York requires a license from the State Education Department’s Office of the Professions. The state’s veterinarian licensing requirements cover a degree from an AVMA-accredited or department-approved program, a passing result on the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, a minimum age of 21 and good moral character. Veterinarians already licensed in another state who passed the NAVLE apply through the same examination pathway. A limited permit can allow an applicant who meets every requirement except the exam to practice under the direction of a licensed New York veterinarian. Requirements and fees change from time to time, so confirm the current details with the Office of the Professions before you apply.
For graduates of veterinary programs that are not AVMA-accredited, the state strongly recommends ECFVG certification, and our support for international veterinarians covers the route to US practice.
Starting your license application well ahead of your planned start date helps a move run smoothly. Before you sign, make sure you understand how production pay, continuing education allowances and any restrictive covenants are set out. Our guide to having your contract reviewed explains when a lawyer adds real value.
Our recruiters work with practices across New York, from the five boroughs to the Great Lakes. We take time to understand the caseload, schedule, mentorship and location you want, then introduce you to practices that match, and we stay with you through interviews and offer conversations. Our service is free for candidates, and you never sign an exclusivity contract. Our guide to working with us covers the details, including help with your CV and interview preparation.
New York shares borders with several states where we also place veterinarians, including our vet jobs in New Jersey, veterinary roles in Pennsylvania and veterinary careers in Vermont.
To talk through vet jobs in New York with a recruiter who knows the state, speak to our team.
