Veterinarians: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time veterinarians in the UK earned a median £51,058 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 31% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 51st of 382 occupations on this measure.
Median full-time pay: women £23.69 an hour, men £27.18 an hour.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
About 62% of the roughly 13,000 employee jobs are full-time.
From £40,256 in 2021, the median is up 26.8%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 34,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | £721.10* | £20.24* | – | £667.20* | £20.36 |
| 25th percentile | – | £761.30 | £20.39 | – | £690.00* | £21.23 |
| 30th percentile | £43,699 | £821.30 | £21.02 | £34,976* | £715.40* | £23.01 |
| 40th percentile | £49,545 | £957.70 | £23.03 | £38,360* | £781.60 | £25.47 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £51,058* | £1,022.30 | £25.32 | £45,362* | £941.60 | £27.95 |
| 60th percentile | £52,164* | £1,081.30* | £27.42* | £49,933* | £1,020.90 | £29.24 |
| 70th percentile | – | £1,130.40* | £28.42* | – | £1,073.50* | £31.59 |
| 75th percentile | – | – | – | – | £1,110.10* | – |
| Mean | £54,215 | £1,058.00 | £26.38 | £44,900* | £916.40 | £27.69 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £40,256 | £769.20 | £19.80 | £37,976 | £731.80 | 27* |
| 2022 revised | £44,165 | £829.20 | £21.14 | £42,014 | £797.40 | 23* |
| 2023 revised | £47,319 | £959.20 | £23.65 | £46,014 | £901.60 | 20* |
| 2024 revised | £49,448* | £923.90 | £22.71 | £42,616 | £861.30 | 16* |
| 2025 provisional | £51,058* | £1,022.30 | £25.32 | £45,362* | £941.60 | 13* |
Veterinarians by region
UK: 34,600 (± 7,200), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What veterinarians do
Veterinarians diagnose and treat animal injuries, diseases and disorders, and advise on preventative action. They may work in practices, specialising according to their location in either a rural or urban area, or in the public sector or associated industries such as pharmaceuticals, food production or drug regulation. (ONS SOC 2020, 2240)
Also covers: veterinarian, veterinary practitioner, veterinary surgeon, veterinary consultant, veterinary inspector, veterinary officer, veterinary scientist, veterinary field officer, veterinary investigating officer, veterinary investigation officer and veterinary research officer.
- Examines animals, diagnoses condition and prescribes and administers appropriate drugs, dressings, etc., and arranges or undertakes any necessary x-ray or other tests
- Inoculates animals against communicable diseases
- Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgery
- Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases and advises owners on feeding, breeding and general care
- Euthanises old, sick, terminally ill and unwanted animals
- Performs tasks relating to food safety policy, regulation of veterinary drugs, quality control of veterinary products
Entrants will require a university degree in veterinary science and registration as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Pre-entry experience in a veterinary practice may be required for entry to a university veterinary school.
Related
Veterinarians (median £51,058*) · Other registered nursing professionals · Registered children's nurses · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026