If you're an aspiring vet, it's very likely that a love of all things furry, scaly, feathered, or fuzzy drew you to a career in veterinary medicine. As a veterinarian, you have a chance to make a difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them.
But you'll also have a hefty medical school bill to cover.
What type of salary can you expect as a veterinarian? We reviewed all the data, and we have results that can help you make a smart decision about your career, your veterinary emphasis, and more.
Median Salary Across the United States
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects data from people all across the United States, and it publishes one number that represents the average salary for everyone who has that job title in America. As of 2018, the average pay for an American veterinarian was about $94,000 per year, the agency says.
Before you start leaping up and down with joy, consider this. The BLS also says that the 2018 median pay for physicians and surgeons stood at $208,000. Even though you'll have a similar level of education to your doctor colleagues, who care for humans instead of animals — and a similar amount of student debt — you'll take home about half their salary. In some parts of the country, the pay gap is even more significant.
Salaries Vary by State and Region
There are animals all across America, but the types of critters that populate each region of the country can vary. Some locations focus on large animals, including horses and cows, while others are home to exotic creatures like crocodiles and whales. Some states have laboratories and factories that employ vets, while others cater to city people and their pampered pets. All of these factors can impact your salary.
Here are a few samples of annual salaries by state, all pulled from the BLS:
It's clear that your salary is deeply dependent on the state in which you live. Data from U.S. News and World Report suggests that you can pull down different salaries depending on the city you choose in your state.
For example, Florida came in with a low median salary in the list we gave you above. But in Naples, Florida, the median annual salary was $172,360 in 2017. That's much higher than the state average.
On the surface, these cities don't have much in common. But dig a little deeper, and you'll notice that they're all considered urban hotspots.
According to the BLS, veterinarians who work in urban areas tend to make more money compared to those who live in rural areas.
These median wages make the point quite clear:
Los Angeles Area (metropolitan): $133,360
Northern Coast of California (non-metro): $120,840
Trenton, New Jersey (metro): $144,420
Central East New York (non-metro): $117,690
Why would an urban area offer a higher salary compared to a rural spot? The answer comes in the type of veterinary medicine practiced there.
What Types of Practice Are Best?
Your love of a particular type of animal might drive your choice in specialty. But if salary is important to you, it's wise to choose an area that comes with a bigger paycheck. In veterinary medicine, one higher paying field involves companion animals.
As the Tufts Pre-Veterinary Society points out, advances in companion animal medicine mean more illnesses in animals can be treated.
A veterinarian can offer the following:
Cancer care
Acupuncture
Advanced surgery
Cardiac care
These procedures can come with big price tags, and they're time-consuming. As people want the best for their pets, and they come to think of their animals like family members, they are willing to shell out the money for that care and they need knowledgeable veterinarians to serve them.
Since there are more people in urban areas, there are more pets to serve. In a rural area, your client list may include only a few families. In an urban area, you may have hundreds of families asking for your help.
Salaries are also higher, says DVM 360, when veterinarians own their own practices. When you work for a chain or another doctor, you must accept the salary you're offered, with a little negotiation. When you own the practice, you have the option to set your own fees and keep a larger share of the profits.
Ownership is typically associated with a long career, so this might not be something you could achieve right after you gain your degree, but it could be a goal to strive for.
What Types of Practice Are Risky?
Drive through some states, and you'll see acres of big animals stretching out as far as you can see. You might also see plenty of stray, wounded animals that need help. While there's no doubt that large animals and shelter animals need care, these types of degrees come with less security than one that focuses on pets.
Consider equine medicine. According to EquiManagement, some states are facing a severe shortage of veterinary jobs for horse doctors.
A study of states found levels of "overcapacities" that might prompt you to seek work elsewhere:
It's important to note that no state in this study had a shortage of horse doctors. All had more than they could use. If you're hoping to pursue a career in equine medicine, this should make you think twice.
Shelter medicine has a slightly different problem. As long as there are unwanted animals, veterinarians will be needed to help, but these jobs come with very low salaries compared to the general field.
In 2011, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians found that the median salary of a shelter vet was $75,000. But some respondents in this survey made less than $50,000 per year. If you have student loans to pay back, that could be tough with this small take-home pay.
Assessing the Overall Job Market
There's no question that veterinarians are needed, and in some parts of the country, this can be a very lucrative job, but the overall, veterinary job market has some challenges you should be aware of.
VIN News Service explains that more students are choosing veterinary medicine, and they are graduating before new positions open up. That means a flood of qualified people enter the job market each year, and all of them might want the exact job you're hoping for. This problem is evenly spread across the country, the writers explain, with no real haven for employment opportunities.
Some veterinarians settle for part-time jobs. DVM 360 says about 15% of veterinarians work part-time when they wish they could work full-time or even overtime. But they can't find the jobs that help them do that, so they stay where they are.
What Should You Do?
Pundits suggest that the solution lies within the education system. Schools should stop accepting so many students and graduating more doctors than necessary until the demand builds back up again. The good news is, as a student or an aspiring veterinarian, there's something else you can do.
When you're searching for a job in a crowded field like this, it's crucial to demonstrate your flexibility. You may not be able to find a job close to home, but you might find one across the country. You may not get the ideal job right away, but you could build up to it after spending a few years working an entry-level vet position. If you demonstrate flexibility in your search, you could get the job of your dreams.
We can help turn that dream into a reality! We pull together job listings from all across the country, making it easy for you to find a job anywhere you hope to work. You can search by location, job type, or both. Our resources help you understand how to apply, negotiate, and land the perfect position. We invite you to explore our site to find out how to land the job you've always wanted.
