EMPLOYMENT / SALARY TRENDS AND OUTLOOK

Employment     8 o3 x+ X+ W0 B( h8 O1 x
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Veterinarians held about 59,000 jobs in 2000. About 28 percent were self-employed in solo or group practices. Most others were employees of another veterinary practice. The Federal Government employed about 800 civilian veterinarians, chiefly in the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Other employers of veterinarians are State and local governments, colleges of veterinary medicine, medical schools, research laboratories, animal food companies, and pharmaceutical companies. A few veterinarians work for zoos; but most veterinarians caring for zoo animals are private practitioners who contract with zoos to provide services, usually on a part-time basis.
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Job Outlook     ; |) T8 c7 d/ L8 [
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Employment of veterinarians is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2010. Job openings stemming from the need to replace veterinarians who retire or otherwise leave the labor force will be almost as numerous as new jobs resulting from employment growth over the 2000-10 period.
. Q3 l) ]& I4 w1 \9 _& \Most veterinarians practice in animal hospitals or clinics and care primarily for companion animals. The number of dogs as pets is expected to increase more slowly during the projection period than in the previous decade. However, faster growth of the cat population is expected to increase the demand for feline medicine and veterinary services, offsetting any reduced demand for veterinary care for dogs. Also, as non-necessity income generally increases with age, those who own pets may be more inclined to seek veterinary services. Small increases in the total number of household pets, coupled with the movement of baby boomers into the 34 to 59 year age group, means that the willingness by pet owners to pay for veterinary services should continue. In addition, pet owners are becoming more aware of the availability of advanced care and may increasingly take advantage of nontraditional veterinary services, such as preventive dental care, and may more willingly pay for intensive care than in the past. Finally, new technologies and medical advancements should permit veterinarians to offer better care to animals.
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' c) A" X8 i' K; K' r, ^# eNew graduates continue to be attracted to small animal medicine because they prefer to deal with pets and to live and work near highly populated areas. This situation will not necessarily limit the ability of veterinarians to find employment or to set up and maintain a practice in a particular area. Rather, beginning veterinarians may take positions requiring evening or weekend work to accommodate the extended hours of operation that many practices are offering. Some veterinarians take salaried positions in retail stores offering veterinary services. Self-employed veterinarians usually have to work hard and long to build a sufficient client base. 9 Z5 U8 c- ]' r
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The number of jobs for large animal veterinarians is expected to grow slowly, because productivity gains in the agricultural production industry mean demand for fewer veterinarians than before to treat food animals. Nevertheless, job prospects may be better for veterinarians who specialize in farm animals than for small animal practitioners, because most veterinary medical college graduates do not have the desire to work in rural or isolated areas.
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Continued support for public health and food safety, international and national disease control programs, and biomedical research on human health problems will contribute to the demand for veterinarians, although such positions are few in number. However, anticipated budget tightening in the Federal Government may lead to low funding levels for some programs, limiting job growth. Veterinarians with training in public health and epidemiology should have the best opportunities for a career in the Federal Government. : S$ E% S. k2 w$ d( v/ s# y

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Earnings     + Y/ b5 M& G, i

, Y2 x9 [* U, R* |4 f& Q# PMedian annual earnings of veterinarians were $60,910 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $47,020 and $84,220. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,670, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $128,720. * x  B4 i' `4 K! m& \6 O# d
According to a survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association, average starting salaries of 2000 veterinary medical college graduates varied by type of practice as follows: 9 H! R: [9 d* z7 [/ i
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Small animal, predominant $42,918  8 r; y9 F" Q" H5 r4 B* `4 S* F
Small animal, exclusive 42,640  $ D& S7 K0 l* k& t
Large animal, exclusive 41,629  * l/ x& ^) ]  p, k; H# g
Large animal, predominant 41,439 . _- c2 r& Z0 ?0 y: J
Mixed animal 40,358
9 \# U+ I1 \" g% C9 H' w4 DEquine 28,526
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New veterinary medical college graduates who enter the Federal Government usually start at $35,808. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was higher. The average annual salary for veterinarians in the Federal Government in non-supervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $ 67,482 in 2001.