Veterinarian Statistics Australia

Whether your dog is feeling unwell or simply scheduled for a regular check-up, you’ll surely look for a specific professional—veterinarian!

If humans have physicians and superheroes like Spider-man, dogs and the entire animal kingdom have veterinarians to count on, as they have vast knowledge and experience to diagnose animal diseases and even suggest ways to make our fur babies' lives more comfortable and fun. But strangely, the veterinary industry is rarely talked about. 

Does it have to do with their relatively fewer numbers? Societal perceptions?

Curious? Jump in, and together, let's explore this noble profession and how they've shaped pet care over the years through these Australian veterinarian statistics!

Australia's Veterinary Industry: In Numbers

Did you know Australia only has approximately 14,000 veterinary doctors providing healthcare for 30.4 million pets? In other words, it’s a ratio of one vet for every 2171 pets! Clearly, there's a high demand for veterinarians.

So, what else do we know about the industry?

1. Most veterinarians are in NSW

Boasting the largest population in Australia at 8,153,000, New South Wales naturally holds the highest count of veterinarians at 3,808. Following closely are Victoria (3573) and Queensland (3299). NT has the lowest at 135.

Shown below is the complete breakdown of registered veterinarians by state based on the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) 2021 report:

2. Australia has seven universities for veterinary medicine 

Australia's seven veterinary schools present various degree choices, yet each ensures a route for graduates to pursue a career as a veterinarian. The following list outlines the specific veterinary programs available at each school.

• University of Adelaide (AU) 

• BS Veterinary Bioscience and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (6 years)
• Other suitable undergraduate + 3-year DVM

• University of Melbourne (Unimelb)

• Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (6 years)
• Other suitable undergraduate + 4-year DVM

• University of Queensland (UQ) 

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science (5 years)

• University of Sydney (USY) 

• Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (6 years)
• Other suitable undergraduate + 4-year DVM

• Charles Sturt University (CSU)

• Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Bachelor of Veterinary Science (6 years for double degree)

• James Cook University (JCU)

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science (5 years)

• Murdoch University

• Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (5-year integrated course)

3. How Much Does It Cost to Attend Veterinary School?

College is already expensive as it is, but even more so if you’re aiming to study a usually 6-year integrated program with lots of laboratory fees. Today, a year in veterinary school costs $30,000 to $50,000.

It’s quite a lot and takes many years to pay off, but if it means becoming part of a workforce that saves 177,580 to 355,160 injured wild animals (NSW veterinary clinics only) and caring for millions of pets, getting that degree is still worthwhile.

4. There are more female than male veterinarians 

Girl power?

Unlike most professions in Australia, the veterinary industry is now a female-dominated field with an abundance rate of 67.30%. Males, non-binary, and those who opted not to disclose only constituted 32.30%, 0.19%, and 0.20% of the population in 2021. These figures are consistent with the ones observed in 2018.

Gender pay gap

Despite this, women are still paid $261 per week less than their male counterparts, resulting in a gender pay gap of 14.2%. It's not surprising, given the longstanding history of patriarchy in society and the industry. But it has to end. More than an issue of pay, this undermines women’s skills in a field they supposedly dominate.

Here are a few initiatives done to change the system:

• Anti-bias training
• Mentoring programs for women
• Gender quotas for leadership positions
• Restructuring career development programs

5. Most veterinarians are in private practice

70% of Australia’s veterinary workforce practice privately and care for livestock, wildlife, equine, and exotic animals. This is even higher for the AVA Veterinary Workforce Survey 2021, with 80.4% of surveyed veterinarians in private practice.

Other possible career paths are presented in the table below:

Primary Role	Number
Practice (includes all types of clinical practice, non-veterinary roles within clinical practice, specialists, consultants, locums)	2780
Government	216
Academia	113
Industry	67
Public Health	7
One Health	9
Pathology	26
Imaging consultancy	1
Pharmaceutical industry	32
Ancillary veterinary services	6
Other	199

 

6. Veterinarians work 46 hours a week on average

This rate is close to the average working hours of most jobs in Australia (44 hours per week). But what sets veterinarians apart is that over 33% of employees frequently put in additional hours, whether compensated or not, by working overtime.

7. Veterinarian burnout

A study on workplace stress among veterinarians revealed that vets experience higher levels of mental health problems and burnout than the general population. 

The elevated burnout rate of 55% observed within the initial five years post-graduation may have stemmed partly from stress during the student years as it decreased with the increasing years of veterinary experience. 

8. Veterinarians have a median age of 39

Although many veterinarians fall within the 25 to 34-year-old bracket, there’s still a significant number of senior veterinarians, pushing the average age of practitioners to 39.

9. A veterinarian’s yearly average earning starts at $59,400

Employees with under two years of experience earn about 59,400 AUD. But this rate increases as veterinarians gain more work years and experience. Specifically:

• 2-5 years experience: 87,100 AUD (26% more)
• 5-10 years experience: 115,000 (32% more than the 2-5 rate)
• 10-15 years: 135,000 AUD (18% more than the 5-10 rate))
• 15-20 years: 150,000 AUD (11% more than the 10-15 range)
• More than 20 years: 159,000 AUD 

Typically, individuals see their salary double from their initial earnings by the time they reach the 10-year experience milestone.

10. Australians spend $500-$600 per vet visit

Australians surely love having animals around. In fact, 50% of households own a dog. But pet ownership also comes with significant expenses, including pet accessories and veterinary care, which costs $500-$600 per visit. That said, some also explore pet insurance, hoping to reduce the costs. 

But for animals in crowded rescue homes and pets whose owners cannot afford pet insurance, vet visits and surgeries ($5000 to $8000), euthanasia becomes the only option. 

11. Veterinarians have four career tracks

Wonder how veterinarians choose their path? 

It primarily depends on their interest and the type of animals they want to work with. To make the decision-making more straightforward, the University of Melbourne outlined the following vet career tracks:

• Small animal track

Want to work with dogs, cats, and other small animals?

This path allows veterinarians to work in private small animal practice, pursue internships or residencies, or secure positions with government or private companies for small animals.

• Production animal track

This is the track for veterinarians more interested in working with livestock like chickens, pigs, cattle, and sheep. Under this specialised field, veterinarians can work as production animal consultants or enter mixed veterinary practice for private productions. 

• Equine track

This track is limited to caring for horses, whether for companionship or racing.

• Government, Industry and Conservation Health Track

If you’re more into policy development, research, and other non-traditional veterinary work, this track is for you!

When we look at these Australian veterinarian statistics and facts, we begin to realise how important veterinarians are not only to our dogs but also to animals on farms and even in the wild. But sadly, the journey of becoming one takes time and significant resources to overcome physical, emotional, and societal hurdles, resulting in fewer practitioners. 

It’s time we assert the importance of affordable pet and animal care, not only for the veterinary industry but also for our beloved pets.