How much do veterinarians earn?

Does anyone know how much money a veterinarian earns per year? I realize this varies based on location and such things. I'd just like to have a general idea. My veterinarian keeps trying to get me to go to veterinary school. I have to go to college first though and I've been putting that off for a long time. I've considered becoming a veterinarian but I just don't know how I feel about it.

Do you like math and science??
I used to be pre med, and then I became pre vet for the first 2 years of my college..but I hate science and math so I decided it's not worth wasting my time on this when I can be doing something that I love so I switched to history and sociology. I still would love to be a vet, but the path I'd have to take to go there requires studying things that I am not good at. You have to take physics, calculus, chemistry which is the worst for me because you have to go all the way to organic chemistry and then of course biology which isn't that bad..I took all of my calculus and I loved it though which is strange apparently I like math..and this is at an engineering school where calculus is supposed to be super hard. And in general, the science environment was never very pleasant for me. I like to be more expressive and original in my work and study and there is no room for originality in science, just straight following rules and paradigms..It is kind of boring and just cold, impersonal.. Being a vet is much better I'm sure, but having to study in an environment like this for 8 years was just not worth it for me.Anyways..
I don't know how much vets earn but believe me it isn't the kind of job where you would be unemployed... The least you'd be making is probably 50-60k a year. I know that doesn't sound like a lot based on all that education you go through but it's a sacrifice you have to make lol. I know human doctors make twice that much and go through the same amount of school.

You should be able to google it and find a site that might give you earnings based on regions.

Do what you love, money will follow. Go with your heart, not only money. I went to college and earned several degrees and had a high grade point average but still wish I had this advice and followed it.

^ You did several degrees and still didn't follow what you loved? I am currently working on 2 majors and a minor, all in what I like but I can't choose 1. I am planning on going to grad school as well..But I can say that if I was looking for the most profitable degree I'd do a 4 year engineering degree lol you make the most money with the least education like my boyfriend is currently doing..

In Alberta, average is $75,800 a year (2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey).
Big range though, from about $40,000 to $170,000
depends on practice, animal specialization, length of employment, etc.

Originally Posted by ut0pia

^ You did several degrees and still didn't follow what you loved? I am currently working on 2 majors and a minor, all in what I like but I can't choose 1. I am planning on going to grad school as well..But I can say that if I was looking for the most profitable degree I'd do a 4 year engineering degree lol you make the most money with the least education like my boyfriend is currently doing..

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That is what I did. All you are currently working on and plan to do.
And I STILL did not follow what I loved, my first love, what I thought I wanted to do originally but decided against it because the pay was low. I thought and was told if I had money (chose a degree path that yielded high income, at least in theory!) I could do what I loved on the side. Someone forgot to tell me I wouldn't have much time to do anything else! Sometimes money costs too much. If I had it to do over again, I would things very differently. I dont' regret my education, but I do deeply regret not following my heart. Perhaps someday I will go back and do just that But I am still paying off the last degree and will be for some time.

Originally Posted by ut0pia

.but I hate science and math so I decided it's not worth wasting my time on this when I can be doing something that I love so I switched to history and sociology. ...I took all of my calculus and I loved it though which is strange apparently I like math..and this is at an engineering school where calculus is supposed to be super hard.

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So you are doing history and sociology, and are good at math!

Great, it should be useful to you. You can take as a minor specialization to work on statistics. A good mathematical statistician can work marvels out from facts and basic statistics.

And most people dont understand this sorts of math, thus - it is quite often simply not done. Or done not properly.

Also, I have understood many graduate papers are laying there not finished for years, even getting destroyed, simply by the gradual students do have the material, but lacks skills in advanced statistical maths....

Btw, knowing what you can do with good statistics, you can plan your inquiry better.

Hey, you could probably make a decent living by helping these gradual students out with this statistical maths... Remember, most of your collegeaues in history, sociology, religion, librarians, languages, arent good at maths.

Originally Posted by lilblu

Does anyone know how much money a veterinarian earns per year? I realize this varies based on location and such things. I'd just like to have a general idea. My veterinarian keeps trying to get me to go to veterinary school. I have to go to college first though and I've been putting that off for a long time. I've considered becoming a veterinarian but I just don't know how I feel about it.

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but here is what I DO know. Whenever I take my two in to the vet I cannot help noticing the Bentley parked way over in the corner of the parking lot.

Around here starting salary for an associate veterinarian is about 40-50K a year. But, it can definitely pay off after time. I've worked for two different clinics whose owners were making some major MAJOR bucks. But granted those are veterinarians that have had their DVMS since the early 80's, so it's been a long time coming. The clinic I work for now just opened in 06' and even though our practice is striving and growing each month, our vet is by no means making any money at all. Everything goes towards the absolute ENORMOUS cost of running a veterinary clinic. Now 10 years from now, I'm sure profit will be pretty nice.

There is a whole lot of money in doing research with a DVM. I'm talking 100K+. Also, emergency vets make a pretty good penny.

I'm currently working on my prerequisites for vet school. Here's hoping that I'll be in vet school by 2011. The average grad student from vet school has somewhere around $120,000 dollars in debt from student loans. Not very exciting. The vet I work for now graduated in 98 and hasn't even cut that in half 11 years later.

If you want to become a vet, more power to you. If it's what your passionate about then do it. I've decided that all the school, the massive amount of debt, and the low starting salary are all worth because I know for a fact I'll love what I'm doing. Just don't go into with money being anywhere on your top 10 reasons why you want to be a vet.

It's not enough. Even if it's just a small-animal practice, you have to thoroughly know the physiology and biology of at least 4 or 5 different species. You get paid $50 for a male cat neuter that would pay you $1500 for a human. $75 for a female cat spay that would bring $5000 for a human.

I think it's generally a labor of love, even if it pays fairly well.