3 answers
Izadia
Student
Arizona City, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
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A veterinarian
Hi my name is Izadia and I want to be a veterinarian.
How much doses a veterinarian get payed averagely?
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3 answers
Nirah Shomer, DVM PhD DACLAM
Senior leader in laboratory animal science, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance
61
Answers
Updated
Nirah’s Answer
The most common question I see on this forum about veterinary medicine is “what is the salary”? Median salary is about $95,000, but the range is huge- about $60,000 to $500,000. Salary depends on a number of features, principal among them your location, your field of specialty, and your years of experience.
The United States bureau of labor statistics website (see link below) provides veterinary salary in great detail, breaking it down by specialty and by geographic location.
However, I want to urge everyone to realize that you do not go into veterinary medicine because of the salary. It is an incredibly demanding field, and if you don’t have a great love for animals and also a great appreciation for science and biology, you will not be happy no matter how high your salary is.
Right now, graduating vet students can expect to command a salary of at least $100,000 if they are working in companion animal medicine in an urban area. However, realize that those students are generally leaving with mind-boggling student debt from the eight years in college plus veterinary school that we have to attend. (According to AVMA, 82% of the class of 2022 left with debt which averaged $179,000). Also, to earn those really high salaries, 300,000+, we generally have 10+ years of experience in a specialty field such as surgery, which requires an additional 3+ years as a Veterinary resident. Resident pay is very low, and those years when you are not earning a full salary greatly affect your total lifetime earnings. There are always trade-offs. If you live in an expensive area like New York City or Hawaii, you can expect a much higher salary than a vet in rural Missouri, but you would also have a vastly higher cost of living.
My advice is that you first think about whether you are motivated to be a veterinarian, and then think about what kind of veterinarian you want to be and where you want to live, and decide whether you can afford it. If you’re smart enough to get into vet school, you’re also smart enough to do something easier and more lucrative, like medical school.
Www.bls.org
The United States bureau of labor statistics website (see link below) provides veterinary salary in great detail, breaking it down by specialty and by geographic location.
However, I want to urge everyone to realize that you do not go into veterinary medicine because of the salary. It is an incredibly demanding field, and if you don’t have a great love for animals and also a great appreciation for science and biology, you will not be happy no matter how high your salary is.
Right now, graduating vet students can expect to command a salary of at least $100,000 if they are working in companion animal medicine in an urban area. However, realize that those students are generally leaving with mind-boggling student debt from the eight years in college plus veterinary school that we have to attend. (According to AVMA, 82% of the class of 2022 left with debt which averaged $179,000). Also, to earn those really high salaries, 300,000+, we generally have 10+ years of experience in a specialty field such as surgery, which requires an additional 3+ years as a Veterinary resident. Resident pay is very low, and those years when you are not earning a full salary greatly affect your total lifetime earnings. There are always trade-offs. If you live in an expensive area like New York City or Hawaii, you can expect a much higher salary than a vet in rural Missouri, but you would also have a vastly higher cost of living.
My advice is that you first think about whether you are motivated to be a veterinarian, and then think about what kind of veterinarian you want to be and where you want to live, and decide whether you can afford it. If you’re smart enough to get into vet school, you’re also smart enough to do something easier and more lucrative, like medical school.
Nirah recommends the following next steps:
Amy Koch
Veterinary Technician
9
Answers
Monroeville, Indiana
Updated
Amy’s Answer
Hi there! I'm not a veterinarian. I'm a Registered Veterinary Technician, which is kind of like a nurse for animals. Generally, veterinarians can make anywhere from $60,000 to $160,000 per year. New graduate veterinarians usually make closer to the low end of those numbers, depending on what type of veterinary work they do. General practice vets (like the one you would take your dog to for vaccines) make less than board certified surgeons do. There are so many different options you have as a veterinarian! I hope this answers helps. Please let me know if you need anything else!
Michael Torio
Consultant - Data Reporting & Analysis (HQ Finance)
342
Answers
Alpharetta, Georgia
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Izadia:
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the salary ranges for a Veterinarian which can be from $78,000 to $128,000 pending where one practices in the United States:
https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/veterinarian/salary
Here is another resource link from Payscale.com for Veterinarian salaries:
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Veterinarian/Salary
A Veterinarian will need to complete a Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work). Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. If your high school offers an Animal or Wildlife course, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
Scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. Scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the salary ranges for a Veterinarian which can be from $78,000 to $128,000 pending where one practices in the United States:
https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/veterinarian/salary
Here is another resource link from Payscale.com for Veterinarian salaries:
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Veterinarian/Salary
A Veterinarian will need to complete a Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work). Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. If your high school offers an Animal or Wildlife course, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
Scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. Scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!