EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION / AE / november 2008 v
In the fall of 2007, the AAEP
commissioned a Web-based sur-
vey of salary data and attitudes
towards work among North
American equine practitioners.
A total of 1,196 valid responses
were received out of 6,932
member invitations. Of respon-
ders, 1,056, or 88 percent, were
in private practice. Pleasure/
performance horse work was
the dominant sector (66%), fol-
lowed by reproductive (10%)
and racetrack practice (9%). Academic, government, indus-
try or other work comprised the balance. Respondents were
split nearly equally between males and females (47%/53%)
and practitioners over 40 years of age and under 40 years of
age (52%/48%), but the majority over 40 were male (76%)
and the majority under 40 were female (65%).
Approximately two-thirds of respondents were married;
17 percent to other veterinarians. A little more than one
third had children living at home. Over one third had
completed an internship.
Salary Data
The survey defined salary as “income from veterinary work,
consultation and profits, plus any contributions to retire-
ment accounts.” The private practice data was split about
60/40 between practice owners and employed veterinarians.
Average salaries were:
Owners $136,000-176,000
(average varied with business entity)
Associates(all lengths of service) $75,940
Associates in first year of service $53,320
Interns $25,960
Practitioners in the South Central, Pacific and North
Atlantic regions earned higher incomes than practitioners in
other sections of the country. Racetrack practitioners
reported the highest average income, followed by reproduc-
tive veterinarians and performance/pleasure practitioners.
Data on the influence of internship training on salary was
inconclusive, but trend analysis suggested about 16 percent
higher earnings over time. The average salary among all pri-
vate practitioners was approximately $115,000 (owner
data combined with associate data). Income rose dramati-
cally with longevity in practice with peak earnings occur-ring between age 40 and 59. A gender gap was reported
with male practitioners earning significantly more than
female practitioners. Factors contributing to the gap may
include respondent age (76 percent of the men were over 40
and in their peak earning years, while just 35 percent of the
women were over 40) and ownership status (76 percent of
male respondents were practice owners while just 44 per-
cent of the women were owners).
Benefits
Over 60 percent of all practices paid for continuing educa-
tion expenses, dues and health and professional liability
insurance. A similar number have provisions for paid vaca-
tion and practice contri-
bution to an IRA or 401k
retirement plan. It was
not common for practices
to provide life or disabili-
ty insurance or to offer
profit sharing to associ-
ates. Very few practices
had planned provisions
for leaves of any sort,
either paid or unpaid. A
handful offered housing
benefits and/or use of a
practice vehicle off hours.
Work Schedule
Across the board, owners
and employees reported
working about 50 hours
a week on “regular”
duty, and eight hours a
week performing emergency calls. The 59 veterinarians
who were in private practice internship or residency train-
ing programs reported longer work schedules of about 58
“regular” hours a week and 15 hours of emergency work.
Overall, all polled reported being “on call” an average of
46 percent of the time.
Attitudes Toward Work and Private Practice
Members responded to a series of questions surveying
attitudes regarding work/life integration. Some interesting
contradictions emerged:
• 94 percent considered their work rewarding. Yet 43 per-
cent reported having a hard time making ends meet con-
Selected private practice data from the AAEP Salary and Lifestyles Survey
by Ann E. Dwyer, DVM
Continued on page VI
Across the board, owners and
employees reported working
about 50 hours a week on
“regular” duty, and eight
hours a week performing
emergency calls.