How much do vets earn in the UK?

The median full-time UK vet earns a total package of £59,800 in 2026, according to the SPVS salary survey of 753 full-time vets, published on 30 September 2026. The median hourly rate is £30.12. Newly qualified vets start at a median £38,950, and vets qualified 20 years or more reach £76,525. Locums are paid by the day, typically £400 to £700.

How vet pay changed in 2026

Pay rose modestly. The median package grew 2.6%, from £58,277 to £59,800, and the median hourly rate grew 5.5%, from £28.56 to £30.12. Starting packages rose from £37,023 to £38,950. The biggest regional rise was in Scotland and Northern Ireland (+14.1%), while London and the North of England fell slightly.

Vet salary by experience

Pay rises steeply in the first ten years. Median full-time packages from the 2026 survey:

Vet salary by role

Vet salary by region

The South East pays the most. London fell slightly in 2026 and now sits below Scotland and Northern Ireland:

How much do vets earn per hour?

The median hourly rate across full- and part-time vets is £30.12, up 5.5% on 2025. Unpaid overtime is common: 61% of vets work overtime, averaging 4.5 hours a week, and 57% of those get neither pay nor time off in lieu for it.

Is there a gender pay gap for vets?

Yes. The median package is £68,000 for men and £58,262 for women, a 14% gap, down from 16% in 2025. The hourly gap is 8%.

What benefits do vets get?

74.9% of vets receive an employer contribution to CPD, averaging £1,539 a year. 54.8% receive employer pension contributions.

What affects a vet's salary?

• Experience: the largest single factor; the median package roughly doubles between the first year and 20 years in.
• Role: leadership roles pay a median £86,500, against £51,890 for assistants.
• Region: the South East pays about £7,000 more than Wales and the South West.
• Overtime: most vets work it, and most of it is unpaid, so the hourly figure matters as much as the package.
• How you work: salaried, locum and self-employed vets are paid in different ways, compared below.

How can a vet earn more?

• Move into leadership: clinical directors and team leaders earn a median £84,331.
• Get overtime recognised: 57% of vets who work overtime are neither paid for it nor given time off in lieu.
• Locum: day rates of £400 to £700 can exceed a salary over a full year, at the cost of benefits and paid leave.
• Add self-employed home visits on days off, at a fee you set yourself.

How much do locum vets earn?

Locums are paid by the day, not a salary. UK agencies publish typical day rates of £400 to £500 (SynergyVets, October 2025) and £450 to £700 for small animal and emergency work (Ronda, May 2026), with nights around £850 to £1,000. As an illustration only: 4 days a week for 46 weeks at £450 a day is £82,800 before tax and costs, but locums pay their own indemnity, pension and CPD and have no paid leave. See our guide to locum vet day rates.

What can a self-employed home visit vet earn?

It depends on the fee you set and how many visits you take, so there is no survey figure. For context, UK home visit practices publish routine consultation prices of roughly £80 to £225; see what pet owners pay for a home visit. On Pet Care at Door you set your own fee, keep 100% of it, and pay a flat £49.90 a month after your first 5 completed bookings. Many vets use home visits as flexible vet jobs alongside a salaried role.

How reliable are these figures?

The SPVS survey is the most widely used UK benchmark for vet pay, based in 2026 on 753 full-time vets. Some groups are small: the newly qualified figure comes from 17 full-time respondents, so treat it as a guide. The full report, with more detailed breakdowns, is available to SPVS members only. The survey covers employed vets; locum and self-employed income is not included.

Salaried, locum or self-employed: how they compare

If you are thinking of going independent, our guide to start your own mobile vet practice covers premises, indemnity, tax and 24-hour cover step by step.