New Global Veterinary Salary Report Highlights International Pay Differences

A new global salary report conducted by veterinary recruitment agency The Vet Service has shown the big differences in pay for veterinarians working in various English-speaking countries.

The report shows salary averages for new graduate (1 – 2 years’ experience), permanent (2 – 10 years’ experience) and experienced (10 + years’ experience) veterinarians in 10 different English-speaking countries.

It’s clear from the survey that veterinarians are in high demand worldwide and can command a competitive salary, with the average permanent salary across the countries surveyed being $68,000. (£56,000).

But there are large disparities across these countries. Veterinarians in the United States ($110,000), the highest place on the list, earn more than four times the amount of colleagues in South Africa ($26,800), although the cost of living in these countries is not taken into consideration.

Veterinarians in the United Kingdom were found to be earning significantly less than colleagues in countries with similar levels of development. With a permanent vet salary of £40,000 – £55,000 (USD $48,000 – $66,000) the country comes 8th on the list of 10 countries surveyed, only ranking above South Africa and the UAE.

The top three highest-paying countries for permanent veterinarians (1 – 2 years’ experience) were: 

1. USA ($110,000 – $140,000);
2. Canada ($100,000 – $116,000) 
3. Qatar ($71,000 – $95,000)

The survey also looked at the daily pay rates for locum/relief veterinarians worldwide. Many veterinarians are choosing to work as locum/relief veterinarians due to increased flexibility although the report showed some large disparities in pay between different countries. The top three highest-paying countries for locum vets were:

1. United States: ($400 – $1000)
2. United Kingdom: ($360 – $600)
3. Canada: $310 – $618 (£258) – (£514)

Overall, the outlook remains positive for salary growth in the veterinary sector, both for permanent and locum veterinary positions. Despite this growth, veterinary salaries in the UK are lagging behind countries of similar-sized economies, although locum rates remain competitive.