Veterinary nurses are a very important member of the veterinary team. Their tasks are diverse and include, helping to assess, treat and care for sick and injured animals, as well as, interaction with clients and performing receptionist duties.
If you want to become a vet nurse, you probably love animals. However, you must be also interested in how much do vet nurses make because your love for animals won’t pay your bills. So, we decided to show you all the info we acquired about vet nurse salary you should know about.
It is estimated that the average salary for a veterinary nurse is $15.88 per hour in the USA. These numbers have been estimated based on 150 anonymously submitted salaries by vet nurse employees. It is estimated that the typical tenure for a veterinary nurse is 1-3 years.
It’s important to mention that there are veterinary nurses who make as high as $20.19 per hour, but there are also others who earn as low as $9.62. Nevertheless, the majority of nurses, about 75%, earn $17, while 25% of nurses earn $12 per hour in the United States. The salary largely depends on location and years of experience, which allow increased pay or advancement.
Veterinary nurses have opportunities for advancement by continuing their education. Thus, vet nurses can decide to specialize as a Veterinary Dental Technicians, Veterinary Technician Anesthetists, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians, or in other areas.
It is believed that the average annual veterinary nurse salary in the USA is $32,61, while vet nurses who are beginners start at $23,579 per year. On the other hand, more experienced workers make up to $55,443 per year. Just for comparison, the average salary for a veterinary nurse in the United Kingdom is £22,928 per year. In general, salaries can range from £24,000 to £40,000 per year. On the other hand, in Australia, veterinary nurses earn from $69,725 to $167,500 a year.
In New Zealand, for example, veterinary nurses with up to three years of experience usually earn $17-$18 per hour, while the more experienced ones usually earn $21-$26 per hour. Due to the growing demand for veterinary nurses, the chances of getting a job are rather high.
So, a vet nurse is a low-paid job in general, with comes with tremendous job satisfaction.