jobfacts

Veterinarians

SOC 2020 2240

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.

Also calledVetVeterinary surgeonVeterinarianVeterinary consultantMRCVSVeterinary scientistand 7 more titles
Typical full-time pay£51,1002025 Provisional
People in the job35,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month1,300↓ 4.9%on last year · 155th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time veterinarians earn, 2025
£51,100 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£51,100
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £51,100
London!£49,900
North West!£44,200
North EastNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £51,100
London£49,900 (small sample)
North West£44,200 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £47,300
  • 2024 £49,400
  • 2025 Provisional£51,100
↑ 7.9% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,300 jobs for veterinarians are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,961
Jul 20261,521
Jun 20261,009
May 20262,177
Apr 2026874
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026863
Jan 2026855
Dec 2025462
Nov 20251,105
Oct 20251,196
Sept 20251,830
Aug 2025954
Jul 20251,045
Jun 20251,181
May 20251,196
Apr 20251,420
Mar 20251,068
Feb 20251,644
Jan 20252,137
Dec 20241,093
Nov 20241,229
Oct 20241,557
Sept 20241,113
Aug 20241,263
Jul 20241,248
Jun 20241,665
May 20242,467
Apr 20242,107
Mar 20242,044
Feb 20241,862
Jan 20241,985
Dec 20232,142
Nov 20231,755
Oct 20231,456
Sept 20231,263
Aug 20231,723
Jul 20231,805
Jun 20232,927
May 20232,612
Apr 20232,066
Mar 20233,023
Feb 20232,474
Jan 20233,170
Dec 20223,292
Nov 20223,436
Oct 20223,683
Sept 20222,189
Aug 20222,271
Jul 20222,423
Jun 20221,782
May 20222,360
Apr 20221,827
Mar 20222,019
Feb 20221,830
Jan 20222,346
Dec 20211,925
Nov 20212,663
Oct 20212,260
Sept 20212,155
Aug 20211,747
Jul 20212,354
Jun 20211,926
May 20211,920
Apr 20211,763
Mar 20211,986
Feb 2021954
Jan 2021931
Dec 20201,261
Nov 2020689
Oct 2020703
Sept 2020695
Aug 2020677
Jul 2020595
Jun 2020482
May 2020280
Apr 2020489
Mar 2020516
Feb 20201,575
Jan 2020754
Dec 2019502
Nov 2019561
Oct 2019472
Sept 2019432
Aug 2019389
Jul 2019456
Jun 2019498
May 2019480
Apr 2019320
Mar 2019363
Feb 2019389
Jan 2019405
Dec 2018414
Nov 2018457
Oct 2018620
Sept 2018511
Aug 2018336
Jul 2018355
Jun 2018483
May 2018504
Apr 2018379
Mar 2018550
Feb 2018379
Jan 2018287
Dec 2017159
Nov 2017183
Oct 2017298
Sept 2017343
Aug 2017487
Jul 2017394
Jun 2017465
May 2017359
Apr 2017718
Mar 2017294
Feb 2017261
Jan 2017275
Is there a shortage of veterinarians?
Elevated

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was critical.

  • Visas grantedWell above usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
52%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London322
Dumfries and Galloway72
North Yorkshire53
Leeds49
Cornwall44
Somerset44
Birmingham39
Wiltshire36
Cardiff35
Manchester34
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where veterinarians are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 295 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Turkey, Spain, Italy, ranking it 54th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of veterinarians
7.7%!
35%!
23%!
13%!
16%!
5%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–247.7% (small sample)
25–3435% (small sample)
35–4423% (small sample)
45–5413% (small sample)
55–6416% (small sample)
65+5% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent97%
GCSEs or equivalent–
Not published
Other qualifications–
Not published
Show as table
Degree or equivalent97%
GCSEs or equivalentNot published
Other qualificationsNot published

Main employers: veterinary activities (94%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
97%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

You can get into this job through a university course.

University

You'll need to complete a veterinary degree approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

Entry to courses is highly competitive. For this reason the selection process is very thorough. You can expect to be interviewed and to take screening tests at most universities.

You'll need to show:

  • you are able to meet the academic requirements of the course
  • you understand what the role involves
  • you are highly motivated
  • you have done some relevant work experience

Many universities offer a foundation year, which prepares you for the veterinary degree course.

You can find out more about studying veterinary science from UCAS.

Full-time veterinary degrees usually take 5 to 6 years.

If you already have a degree in a related subject, for example, biomedical sciences, you may be able to take a 4-year graduate entry veterinary degree course.

You can also apply to join the Army Medical Service while completing your degree at university. On selection, you would receive further training to become a veterinary officer in the army.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
  • 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

Volunteering

You'll need to get experience of working with animals, which will help when applying for courses.

You can contact:

  • veterinary practices
  • local animal welfare centres
  • animal charities, like the PDSA or RSPCA
  • local dairy and livestock farms
  • riding stables

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

You may need a driving licence for some jobs, for example in rural areas.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you'll need to register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Career tips

You can explore veterinary science through virtual work experience with Futurelearn.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the British Veterinary Association and British Small Animals Veterinary Association for professional development and networking opportunities.

You could also join the British Equine Veterinary Association if you work with horses.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a vet from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and British Veterinary Association.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for vet. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • 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
  • performs ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food chain, and animal post-mortem examinations
  • carries out expert witness work and undertakes teaching of veterinary students
  • maintains records, raises and forwards reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation

Skills

  • advise on animal welfare
  • apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting
  • deal with challenging people
  • handle veterinary emergencies
  • manage animal biosecurity
  • manage animal hygiene
  • monitor the welfare of animals
  • maintain relationships with animal welfare establishments
  • advise on livestock disease control
  • apply veterinary epidemiology
  • certify the performance of veterinary procedures
  • develop an animal handling strategy
  • evaluate information in the field of veterinary nursing
  • issue certificates for animal products

Knowledge

  • animal welfare legislation
  • anatomy of animals
  • animal behaviour
  • animal welfare
  • biosecurity related to animals
  • environmental enrichment for animals
  • physiology of animals
  • signs of animal illness

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Working with ideas and solving problems

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for health professionals, a group of 24 jobs that includes veterinarians.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 19%about 310,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.3 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.