UC Davis vet school expanding with $110.5M in gifts, adds student slots
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- UC Davis will expand vet school by 200 students using $110.5M in donations.
- Facilities include new hospitals and clinics to help address vet shortages by 2030.
- Expansion supports equity goals with access for first-generation, low-income students.
The University of California, Davis, announced Wednesday that its School of Veterinary Medicine will undergo a $110.5 million expansion that not only bolsters the nation’s veterinary workforce pipeline but also creates new opportunities for first-generation college students and entry-level workers.
The 10-year project will add a new education pavilion, equine hospital, cancer center, spay-neuter clinic, raptor center and a primary care hospital — facilities that will allow the school to expand its class size from 600 to 800 students, UC Davis officials said.
The expansion comes as a study projects California will face a shortage of 2,000 veterinarians and the nation 40,000 by 2030, said Tom Hinds, the school’s director of strategic planning and communications.
This growth will ensure students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds will have the opportunity to advance themselves.
More than half of UC Davis veterinary students are the first in their families to attend college, many from agricultural communities where animal care is in high demand. The school has eliminated barriers such as the standardized graduate exam requirement, kept tuition comparatively low, and distributed more than $8 million annually in scholarships and grants.
“These facilities will permit us to expand our class size by 50 per year to help address this need,” said Tom Hinds, the school’s director of strategic planning and communications. “First-generation students often come from low-income communities and are more likely to return to serve those communities.”
Entry-level jobs are also part of the equation. Veterinary technicians and staff will be needed to support expanded clinical operations, alongside new faculty hires, Hinds said. The school already employs hundreds of workers in positions that range from entry-level to advanced practice.
The financial returns for graduates are substantial. This year’s vet school graduates are averaging starting salaries of $140,745 — wages that climb with experience and place veterinarians among the higher-earning health professionals.
Philanthropic donations have given UC Davis leaders the chance to achieve infrastructure goals needed to further missions of teaching, research and public service, Hinds said.
The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation provided a $50 million challenge grant, with other donors contributing to specialized centers such as the All Species Imaging Center, which opened Wednesday, according to UC Davis’ announcement.
Chancellor Gary S. May called the expansion a responsibility as much as an opportunity: “As a global leader in veterinary treatment and research, it’s our responsibility to ensure that care and compassion extend as far as possible.”
The School of Veterinary Medicine is ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 in the world. Dean Mark Stetter said the buildout is not about chasing prestige but about preparing the next generation of veterinarians, advancing animal care, and supporting innovations that may improve human health.
For California households struggling with rising veterinary costs, the expansion also promises broader community benefits, Hinds said, explaining new shelter medicine and access-to-care facility will train students to serve underserved regions and provide services to families with limited means.
The expansion also will allow UC Davis to increase annual patient capacity to 70,000 from 50,000.
“This expansion will help us serve society even further — by producing additional veterinarians and specialists, by treating more cases and by advancing more clinical and scientific innovations that benefit animals and humans,” Hinds said.
This story was originally published September 20, 2025 at 7:00 AM with the headline "UC Davis vet school expanding with $110.5M in gifts, adds student slots."
