Do you think vets are paid enough?

My personal opinion is no, because they make on average in the U.S. $70,000 per year. This is quite a bit, but preperation is 8 yrs! Also considering everything they do they do so much for animals. Its quite hard work. So I think they should be paid more.

Do you think vets are paid enough?
Like most professions (especially teachers!) no, they don't get paid enough. However, you aren't going to see me lobbying for them to make more money, because when it comes time to pay the bill...it cleans me out.





I've often wondered why we can't lower the cost to run tests, manufacture/purchase medical equipment, etc. That way the docs (and vets) get paid well, and we don't go broke getting health care for ourselves and our pets. Hmmm...
Reply:NO!!! The veterinarian is probably the most educated but least paid person of all the professional people. They have to take many the same types of classes as an MD only they have to understand the differences between a cow, a horse, a dog, a cat, etc. They are also required to take continuing education courses yearly to keep their license. Many people don't realize that when a veterinarian graduates vet school, s/he may have $100,000+ in student loans. It'll take him/her years to pay them back.
Reply:A lot of people aren't paid enough for the work that they do. The average starting wage for a firefighter in the province of Ontario is around $40,000. Police officers make a little more, but not much.





People choose the lines of work that they do because that is what they want. I agree that its too bad that a lot of the very important professions are underpaid. Then again, it shouldn't just be about the money.
Reply:I don't think so either, but no one becomes a vet for the money, no one. A person that is a human doctor may love what he does, but money is a hugh factor in their choice of becoming a doctor. I think it is a shame that vets don't make more money, after all they work on many species and a human doctor only works on one species. But one thing that is very different is human doctors get sued a lot and so far vets rarely get sued.
Reply:I've done a little research on salaries for vets after all I originally wanted to go to school for that. I was very disappointed by how much new vets (straight out of school) were making. I believe I read somewhere on the downward side of $40,000-$50,000. I was looking into going large animal (mainly horses) and the website I found told me I was only expected to make about $38,000 a year straight out of school. Vets can be expected to make more money with more experience. It also depends on the area. I think some vets make decent money and then some do not. It all depends on a lot of things. Experience, where they are practicing, how much they're charging, etc.
Reply:Maybe it's because I live in NC, where the cost of living is so much less than alot of other places, but $70,000 is PLENTY in my opinion. I know my vet gets paid enough, he cleans us out everytime we go [[not that I'm complaining, he's the best in our area]].





IDK, but I believe if there was a pay raise, it would be better spent on other positions, such as teachers, city poilice, firefighters, etc. etc.
Reply:i think you're gonna get a fight going here...


anyway i think that is plenty although, more would also be great. But think about it, they don't have to worry about insurance billing and many run their own private practices.. no big animal hospitals.


I'm going to be a physical therapist... it will be 7 years of college in all, and i will be making about that.
Reply:I agree with you for the same reasons. They definately should get paid at least $90,000 dollars a year, for all of their hard and and animal life-saving. Also, they should be rewarded for even becoming a vet:most people do not.
Reply:They make very good pay, but I think anybody who works with animals should make more. Especially dog trainers and behaviorists! I mean, where would some of us be without their guidance?Imagine the amount of dogs that would have been put down!





{{...*Spontania*...}}
Reply:For the amount of time they put in and the amount of schooling they aren't paid well at all, especially compared to electricians, plumbers, lawyers, and medical doctors. But many do it because that is what they want to do.
Reply:I think they get paid to much
Reply:honestly i think they get paid enough. sure they have to go through all that schooling but again it was their choice. for many people it's not about the money. for many its just about the passion they have for the animals. people always say "this person doesnt get paid enough" but if a person is truly passionate about what they are doing and nothing in else in the world is going to make them happy then more power to them. remember its a personal choice. no one is forcing anyone to do anything with their lives. many vets truly love their jobs they have a real passion and you can tell when they do. last may we found a puppy in the woods tied to a tree. we took him to a vet that we had never been to before but my mother knew her as a person. we took him there and she did everything she knew to do. she took x rays. she put dye in him and traced it through him using x rays. she called other vets to get a second opinion, all while giving us hourly updates and treating other patients. she decided to do exploratory surgery on him which would cost $1200 dollars. we couldnt afford the surgery so she offered to cut the price in half just to save the little guy. at that time we didnt have the money out of our pocket. so she found us a great organization to help us with the expense of it. that night she took him home and let him sleep in her bed and got him up every hour that night to keep him drinking. she truly had the passion for her job. i thank her every day of my life but the real moral of this story is that no matter what career you choose make sure it's something you love and are passionate about. a good vet won't care about how much they make. a good vet won't care what it takes. they will try to save the animal.