aaep salary & life style survey 2008
DESCRIPTION
AAEP survey from 2008 outlining salary and life styles of equine practitioners from USA and Canada.TRANSCRIPT
A Confidential Lifestyles and Salary Survey
Conducted on behalf of
American Association
of Equine Practitioners
April 2008
By
MONITION: This research was conducted for the exclusive use of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and their designated agents. Duplication of the material is prohibited without the expressed consent of the AAEP. If any material contained in this document is released to the general public, the research consultant reserves the right to release any and all additional data to clarify and/or accurately report findings of this study. This specific policy and the methods by which data have been collected and reported are consistent with the bylaws of the American Association for Public Opinion Research.
2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents_____________________________________ 2
Survey Design & Methods ______________________________ 3
Background & Administration __________________________ 3
Major Findings _______________________________________ 4
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners Overall ________________ 4
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners in Private Practice_______ 12
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners in Academia ___________ 23
Benefits Provided to Equine Practitioners _________________ 27
Attitudes Regarding Lifestyle___________________________ 30
Overall Job Satisfaction_______________________________ 41
Likelihood of Encouraging Equine Medicine Career__________ 43
Open-ended Questions _______________________________ 45
Participant Profiles __________________________________ 47
Demographic Breakouts ______________________________ 47
3
Survey Design & Methods
Background & Administration
he American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP)
commissioned a lifestyles and salary survey among its
members in the fall of 2007. Although the association had
salary information from the sub-sample of equine
practitioners in the periodic AVMA salary survey, AAEP sought to
conduct a more comprehensive survey that also included attitudinal
questions concerning lifestyle issues.
Data for the following report were collected by Preston-
Osborne of Lexington, Kentucky using a Web-based survey. In early
October of 2007, an e-mail was sent to approximately 6,076 DVM
members in the United States and Canada inviting them to participate
in the member survey. The e-mail, which was in the form of a memo
from AAEP President, Doug Corey, included a hotlink to the online
survey form. Those who received the survey invitation by e-mail were
given a deadline about two weeks from the time the invitation was
sent. Right before the deadline, a reminder e-mail was sent to those
who had not clicked through to the survey form (i.e. non-responders).
At roughly the same time that the e-mail invitation was sent,
postcards were mailed to the remaining 856 U.S. and Canadian DVM
members of the AAEP for whom the association did not have an e-
mail address on file. The postcard closely mirrored the e-mail
invitation and included the URL for the online survey.
The deadline for survey returns was October 31. Surveys were
accepted and included in the dataset, however, until November 3,
2007. A total of 1,253 valid∗ surveys were completed by that date and
are included in the study. Based on a universe of 6,932, this represents
a response rate of 18 percent.
This report summarizes results from the study. All figures in this
report exclude “no responses,” unless otherwise noted.
∗ A small number of surveys were considered invalid and were, therefore, omitted from the final dataset. These include partial surveys that didn’t include salary information, as well as surveys from retirees or those not employed in equine medicine.
T
4
Major Findings
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners Overall
ne of the two primary goals of this study was to
determine the average annual salaries of equine
practitioners, both overall and among specific
subgroups, such as first-year practitioners. The survey
instrument, therefore, began with a series of demographic questions
(the results of which are reported later in this document) designed to
categorize respondents in a wide variety of ways. Some of these key
variables included gender, age, graduation year from veterinary school,
whether they work in private practice, what type of practice they work
in, their specific role within their practice, marital status, whether
children are present in the home, and where respondents are located,
among others.
Before discussing these findings, it is important to note
some general observations. Based on information provided by the
AAEP, the average age of the members of the association is older
than the average among survey respondents. (The AAEP’s
information regarding the age of their members is, by their own
admission, limited, but is considered to be more reflective of the
overall membership population than the survey sample.) The fact that
the final survey sample is somewhat skewed to a younger member is
especially noteworthy due to the fact that, while the industry once was
populated largely by males, it is now seeing a sharp increase in the
number of females entering the profession. The end result for this
survey is that the average age of male respondents was mid-40s, while
the average age of female respondents was early-30s.
For the salary section of this report, charts and tables exclude
respondents who were students in 2006 and, therefore, were not
practicing equine medicine.
Also, in the salary section, due to the small number of
respondents falling into some of the subgroups, the number of cases,
or n-size, is reported for each.
O
5
To provide context for the discussion of salary findings, the full
text of the question, as it was posed to members, follows: What was
your TOTAL PERSONAL INCOME—before taxes—from all
veterinary medical related activities during 2006? Include
income from: salary; bonuses; practice profits; consulting fees;
and retirement/profit-sharing plan contributions made on your
behalf. (Please indicate your response in U.S. dollars factoring in
the appropriate exchange rate if you are a non-U.S. respondent.)
As Figure 1 illustrates, the average salary among all survey
respondents was $111,340, and as the figure also demonstrates, there
is a notable salary differential when examining results by age group,
with respondents 50 or older earning more than three times the salary
of a practitioner in his or her 20s. These results suggest that longevity
in the field of equine medicine—when combined with experience and
career advancements—can result in a significant increase in one’s
salary.
Figure 1—Average Salaries by Age Group
$111,340$126,280
$155,740 $160,240
$48,280
$86,140
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
OverallAverage
(n=1,196)
<30 yearsold (n=192)
30-39(n=345)
40-49(n=294)
50-59(n=273)
60+ yearsold (n=92)
6
Figure 2 depicts the average salary based on graduation year and
supports the trend seen in Figure 1.
Figure 2—Average Salaries by Graduation Year
$111,340 $116,800
$153,820 $158,140
$40,540
$87,640
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
OverallAverage
(n=1,196)
2006 Only(First Year)
(n=91)
2000-2005(n=479)
1990s(n=241)
1980s(n=215)
Prior to1980
(n=165)
An important component of this study was to determine the
average salary of first-year equine practitioners. According to results
from AVMA’s salary survey, first-year veterinarians in the equine field
make substantially less than those who pursue careers in other areas of
veterinary medicine. Findings from this study appear to support those
from the AVMA study.+
Among all respondents to AAEP’s survey, 91 graduated in 2006.
The average salary among this entire group was $40,540. Looking at
only those who worked in an equine-focused practice (65 of the 91),
the average salary was $37,240, which was notably less than
respondents who worked for large, small, or mixed animal practices.
+ The manner in which average annual salaries were computed for the AVMA survey and the AAEP survey may differ, as the AVMA report did not define the process by which averages were calculated.
7
(The average first-year salary of all veterinarians working at a private
practice in the 2006 AVMA salary survey was $55,031; among those
working for an equine practice, the average was $40,130.)
One factor contributing to the lower average first-year salary is
the number of graduates working in internships and residencies, of
which there were 38 among the 91 2006 graduates in the AAEP study.
On average, those particular first-year graduates were earning less than
half of what first-year associates reported making ($25,960 compared
to $53,320).
However, despite the much lower salaries of first-year graduates
who are completing an internship during that initial year after
graduation, survey results suggest that those entering the
profession of equine medicine are well-served by internships in
the long run. When examining the average salaries of private
practitioners in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and older who completed
internships, it is found that they are earning up to 16 percent more
than similarly aged practitioners who did not participate in an
internship. (Additional discussion of the impact of internships appears later in
this report.)
8
Figure 3 depicts average salaries by AAEP Membership District
(please refer to the key located below Figure 3 for district information), and as the
figure shows, there is notable variance, with respondents practicing in
the Northwestern District (District IX) earning the lowest average
salary ($82,240) and those in the South Central District (District IV)
earning the highest ($143,560).
Figure 3—Average Salaries by AAEP Membership District
$111,340$101,860
$143,560
$87,220
$116,500$136,660
$82,240$98,080$95,860
$118,840$115,000
$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000
$100,000$120,000$140,000$160,000$180,000
Overall A
verage
(n=1,19
6)
North Atlan
tic (n=
127)
Middle A
tlantic
(n=120
)
South A
tlantic
(n=134
)
South
Central
(n=118
)
Great L
akes (n
=135)
Central
(n=128
)
Southw
estern (
n=104
)
Pacifi
c (n=151
)
Northwest
ern (n=
83)
Canada
(n=82)
AAEP Membership Districts District I North Atlantic: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
District II Middle Atlantic: Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
District III South Atlantic: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina
District IV South Central : Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
District V Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
District VI Central : Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
District VII Southwestern: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
District VIII Pacific: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada
District IX Northwestern: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
District X Canada: Canada
9
Figure 4 depicts average salaries by the size of the community in
which the respondent works. As the figure indicates, practitioners
working in more rural areas earn less, on average, than those in urban
centers.
Figure 4—Average Salaries by Community Size
$111,340
$133,060
$98,860 $104,740
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
Overall Average(n=1,196)
Small (Under25,000) (n=472)
Medium (25,000-100,000) (n=350)
Large (>100,000)(n=366)
10
Figure 5 depicts average salaries by employer type. It’s important
to note that nearly 9 out of 10 survey respondents indicated that
they worked for a private practice.
Figure 5—Average Salaries by Employer Type
$111,340$101,500
$71,740
$88,840
$130,000$114,820
$78,700
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
OverallAverage
(n=1,196)
PrivatePractice
(n=1,056)
Academia(n=94)
Fed Gov't(n=8)
State/LocalGov't(n=17)
Industry(n=14)
Other (n=7)
11
Another survey question provides additional context to the salary
results. Respondents were asked how their educational debt load
compares to their current annual salary. As Tables 1a and 1b show,
debt load is a real burden for many, particularly recent graduates. For
example, among those who graduated just last year, more than one-
third said that what they owe in student loans is at least four times
greater than what they are currently earning.
Table 1a— How Respondents Said Their Educational Debt Load Compares to Their Annual Salary broken out by What They Currently Earn Annual Salary Less
than $52K
(n=277)
$52-70K
(n=206)
$70-94K
(n=221)
$94-130K
(n=224)
$130-202K (n=165)
More than
$202K (n=137)
No educational debt 31% 39% 56% 68% 82% 91%
Annual salary is more than debt amount 7 14 20 21 15 7
Owe more than salary but less than double 10 17 15 9 2 2
Owe at least double what I earn 19 18 5 1 1 1
Owe at least triple what I earn 14 8 2 <1 0 0
Owe at least quadruple what I earn 20 3 1 0 0 0
Table 1b— How Respondents Said Their Educational Debt Load Compares to Their Annual Salary broken out by When They Graduated from Veterinary School Year Graduated 2007
(n=56) 2005-2006
(n=156)
2000-2004
(n=416)
1990-1999
(n=240)
1980-1989
(n=210) <1980 (n=163)
No educational debt 14% 12% 42% 62% 94% 99%
Annual salary is more than debt amount 4 13 20 23 6 1
Owe more than salary but less than double 11 16 17 8 0 0
Owe at least double what I earn 21 27 11 3 1 0
Owe at least triple what I earn 16 19 4 3 0 0
Owe at least quadruple what I earn 34 14 6 1 0 0
12
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners in Private Practice
The next series of charts report average salaries within various
subgroups of respondents who reported they worked in a private
practice (88 percent of the entire sample) beginning with the type
of equine-related work with which respondents are most involved.
As Figure 6 depicts, the average salary of a practitioner whose
focus is racing is considerably higher than those who work in other
areas. It is important to note, however, that only 1 out of 10
respondents in private practice indicated racing was their emphasis,
while 11 percent noted reproduction and 73 percent said they worked
primarily with pleasure/performance horses. Only 6 percent of
respondents said they worked in some other area.
Figure 6—Average Salaries by Equine Emphasis(Private Practice Only)
$130,960
$101,500
$190,000
$125,320
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
$200,000
$220,000
Performance/Pleasure (n=774)
Racing (n=107) Reproduction(n=111)
Other (n=64)
13
Figure 7 illustrates the salary differences based on both the focus
and function of the practice for which respondents’ work. Please keep
in mind that the reported average salaries in Figure 7 are among only
the equine practitioners working within certain types of practices.
(For example, as the figure shows, 53 equine practitioners reported
working in a practice that focuses primarily on treating small animals.)
Therefore, these findings are not comparable to the AVMA results for
similar categories, which would be the average salaries of all
veterinarians working in that type of practice.
Figure 7—Average Salaries by Practice Focus & Practice Function
(Private Practice Only)
$122,200 $121,840
$88,060
$107,920
$142,420
$95,800 $101,440
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
LargeAnimal(n=104)
SmallAnimal(n=53)
MixedAnimal(n=139)
Equine(n=757)
Gen. Med.(n=802)
Specialty(n=174)
Other(n=74)
Focus Function
14
Next, Figure 8 reports the average salaries of private practice
veterinarians by AAEP Membership District, and the results follow
the same trend seen when examining all respondents by district—
those in the Northwestern District earn the least and those in the
South Central District earn the most. (For a District Membership key,
please refer to page 8 .)
Figure 8—Average Salaries by AAEP Membership District
(Private Practice Only)
$123,160
$156,400
$96,880
$119,320
$140,800
$83,920$97,300$90,160
$119,560
$103,120
$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000
$100,000$120,000$140,000$160,000$180,000
North Atlan
tic (n=
116)
Middle A
tlantic
(n=104
)
South A
tlantic
(n=120
)
South C
entral
(n=94)
Great La
kes (n=
122)
Central
(n=104
)
Southw
estern (
n=94)
Pacific
(n=138
)
Northweste
rn (n=
76)
Canada
(n=75)
15
Figure 9 examines the average salaries of private practitioners
based on age and graduation year and supports the view that longevity
and experience in the field results in higher incomes.
Figure 9—Average Salaries by Age & Graduation Year(Private Practice Only)
$90,640
$121,060
$162,820$163,420
$50,200
$161,560$165,220
$41,320
$89,140
$130,420
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
<30 (n=
176)
30-39
(n=305
)
40-49
(n=264
)
50-59 (n
=228)
60+ (n=
83)
2006 (n
=88)
2000-2
005 (n=
416)
1990s (
n=217
)
1980s (
n=184
)
<1980 (n
=146)
Age Graduation Year
16
Figure 10 depicts average salaries based on employee type. As the
figure demonstrates, the average salary among interns and residents
working for a private practice is about $28,000 a year. In contrast,
practice owners who are in partnership with one or more practitioners
are earning more than $175,000 annually.
Figure 10—Average Salaries by Employee Type (Private Practice Only)
$136,000 $136,780
$75,940
$27,820
$176,140
$156,460
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
$200,000
Sole Owner(n=298)
Owner:Partner(n=88)
Owner: Corp.Shareholder
(n=145)
Owner: LLC(n=86)
Associate(n=359)
Intern/Resident(n=59)
17
To further examine the relationship between income and
longevity coupled with experience in the field referenced earlier in this
report, Figure 11 depicts average salaries among various employee
types in private practice broken out by age group.
Figure 11—Salaries by Age Group within Employee Type
(Private Practice Only)
$40,000
$80,000
$120,000
$160,000
$200,000
$240,000
$280,000
<30 yrs. 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ yrs.
Sole Proprietor
Owner: Partner
Owner: Corp.ShareholderOwner: LLC
Associate
Details of data presented in Figure 11: Employee Type Age Group, n-sizes, and Income
<30 (n=4)
30-39 (n=42)
40-49 (n=97)
50-59 (n=114)
60+ (n=41) Sole Proprietor
$49,000 $92,980 $126,340 $161,620 $140,500 <30
(n=2) 30-39
(n=21) 40-49
(n=32) 50-59
(n=23) 60+
(n=10) Owner: Partner $106,000 $139,120 $163,780 $195,460 $263,200
<30 (n=0)
30-39 (n=30)
40-49 (n=55)
50-59 (n=43)
60+ (n=17) Owner: Corp.
Shareholder — $118,180 $145,180 $172,120 $219,280 <30
(n=3) 30-39
(n=24) 40-49
(n=25) 50-59
(n=28) 60+
(n=6) Owner: LLC $64,000 $107,020 $143,440 $160,840 $152,020 <30
(n=119) 30-39
(n=172) 40-49
(n=49) 50-59
(n=15) 60+
(n=4) Associate $59,140 $78,100 $98,140 $111,580 $73,000
18
Figure 12 reports average salaries by the advanced degrees
practitioners have obtained, whether they are board certified, and
whether they’ve completed a residency and/or an internship.
Figure 12—Average Salaries by Advanced Degrees, Boards, Residencies, and Internships
(Private Practice Only)
$146,320$129,160
$107,260
$148,300 $145,660
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
Has Master's(n=148)
Has PhD (n=21)
Board Certified(n=114)
CompletedResidency
(n=127)
CompletedInternship
(n=384)
One finding in Figure 12 that merits additional scrutiny is the
impact of having completed an internship on one’s salary. At first
blush, it would appear that an internship does not positively impact
salary since the average earnings among those who have completed
one is lower than the overall average among private practitioners by
around $7,000. However, it is important to note that internships have
become much more common in recent years, which means that
respondents who have completed them are more apt to be young and
in the early stages of their equine careers. In fact, of the 384 private
practitioners in the survey who said they had completed an internship,
more than 6 out of 10 were under the age of 40. Since the group who
has completed an internship is heavily populated with practitioners
whose earnings are lower because of their age and limited
experience—including 55 respondents whose reported salary would
19
have been based on what they were earning as an intern—it serves to
bring the overall group average down.
By examining results by age group, however, a clearer picture
emerges as to the impact of an internship on salaries, which is revealed
in Figure 13. The figure suggests that, as practitioners advance in their
careers, those who invested in an internship ultimately earn more, on
average, than those who did not complete an internship.
Figure 13—Salaries Among Those Who Have and Have Not Completed Internships by Age Group
(Private Practice Only)
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
$200,000
<30 yrs. 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ yrs.
InternshipNo Internship
n-sizes in Figure 13: Age Internship No Internship <30 yrs. 97 79 30-39 142 163 49-49 66 198 50-59 60 168 60+ yrs. 19 64
20
Figure 14 illustrates the salary differences based on gender.
Figure 14—Average Salaries by Gender(Private Practice Only)
$149,800
$81,820
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
Male (n=515) Female (n=541)
In looking at the findings in Figure 14, it would appear tha t the
salary disparity between male and female equine practitioners is
actually much larger than it really is—although, it is significant. Based
solely on gender, males are earning considerably more than females,
according to the survey. However, as has been reported, with
experience and longevity in the field comes a higher income. Given
the large number of younger and less experienced female practitioners
who participated in the survey, the disparity is, therefore, best analyzed
by comparing salaries between males and females within various age
groups, as is shown in Figure 15 on the following page.
21
Figure 15—Salaries Among Males and Females by Age Group
(Private Practice Only)
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
$200,000
<30 yrs. 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ yrs.
MalesFemales
n-sizes in Figure 15: Age Males Females <30 yrs. 29 147 30-39 102 203 49-49 135 129 50-59 171 57 60+ yrs. 78 5
As the above figure illustrates, among the under-30 group,
females are earning the same salary as their male counterparts. Among
those in their 30s, however, males out earn females by about 40
percent. The same salary differential—40 percent—exists among
those in their 40s; however, among practitioners in their 50s, the salary
gap increases to 55 percent. While the gap between males and females
60 years old and older is substantial, with males earning nearly double
the amount of females, it is notable that only 5 female respondents fell
into the 60+ category compared to 78 males. In contrast, within the
under-30 group, there were 29 males and 147 females represented in
the survey.
22
To provide additional insight into the salary differences based on
gender, Table 2 reports salaries first by employee type and then by
gender within that type. It also includes the average number of hours
worked per work—both regular and emergency/overtime.
Table 2—Average Salaries and the Average Number of Regular and Emergency/Overtime Hours Worked per Week by Employee Type and by Gender within Type
Group/Subgroup Avg. Salary
Reg. Hrs.
ER/OT Hrs.
Avg. Total # of Hrs.
All in private practice (n=1,056) $114,820 50 8 58
Owner: Sole Proprietor (n=298) $136,000 48 7 55
Males (n=176) $157,240 50 7 57 Females (n=122) $105,640 46 7 53
Owner: Partner (n=88) $176,140 49 5 54 Males (n=56) $204,700 51 5 56
Females (n=32) $126,280 44 6 50
Owner: Corp. Shareholder (n=145) $156,460 51 7 58
Males (n=104) $176,680 51 7 58 Females (n=41) $106,000 50 9 59
Owner: LLC (n=86) $136,780 50 8 58 Males (n=48) $155,140 53 8 61
Females (n=38) $113,560 45 8 53
Associate (n=359) $75,940 50 8 58 Males (n=106) $98,920 53 8 61
Females (n=253) $66,280 49 9 58
Intern/Resident (n=59) $27,820 58 15 73 Males (n=14) $34,000 59 14 73
Females (n=45) $25,840 58 15 73
It is worth noting that the 2007 AVMA Report on Veterinary
Compensation shows similar trends regarding salary disparity between
male and female practitioners.
23
Salaries Among Equine Practitioners in Academia
As was noted earlier in this report, the vast majority of survey
respondents (88 percent) worked in private practice. Of the 140
respondents who did not, 94 indicated that they worked at a college or
university. (The balance [46 respondents] worked for various employer
types as reported in Figure 5. Due to the limited number of
respondents who fell into these categories, no additional salary
information is included for those 46 respondents beyond the average
salaries shown in Figure 5.)
The next series of charts report average salaries within various
subgroups of respondents who indicated they worked at a college
or university. The average salary among all respondents in this
group was $78,700, as reported in Figure 5.
Figure 16 reports average salaries based on the position
respondents indicated they held within their university or college.
Figure 16—Average Salaries by Position(Academia Only)
$86,260$90,280
$96,820
$23,980
$63,520
$119,800
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
FullProfessor
(n=20)
Assoc.Professor
(n=17)
Other (n=9) Asst.Professor
(n=15)
Clinican(n=12)
Resident/Intern (n=21)
24
Figure 17 depicts average salaries among those in academia by
their primary function, while Figure 18 shows average salaries by
AAEP membership district. (For a District Membership key, please refer to
page 8 .)
Figure 17—Average Salaries by Function(Academia Only)
$71,380
$101,800$93,580
$77,020
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
Research (n=10) Teaching (n=15) Other (n=7) Clinical Medicine(n=62)
Figure 18—Average Salaries by AAEP Membership District
(Academia Only)
$83,680$80,260$89,320$95,500
$59,200
$98,020
$64,780 $62,500
$78,640 $76,660
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
North Atlan
tic (n=
8)
Middle A
tlantic
(n=9)
South A
tlantic
(n=9)
South C
entral
(n=19)
Great L
akes (n
=8)
Central
(n=12)
Southw
estern (
n=9)
Pacific
(n=8)
Northweste
rn (n=
5)
Canada
(n=6)
25
Figure 19 examines the average salaries of those in academia
based on age and graduation year.
Figure 19—Average Salaries by Age & Graduation Year (Academia Only)
$58,300
$79,420
$116,860$115,360
$22,480
$103,360$95,980
$25,000
$59,020
$92,860
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
<30(n=13)
30-39(n=30)
40-49(n=17)
50-59(n=27)
60+(n=7)
2006(n=2)
2000-2005
(n=46)
1990-1999
(n=14)
1980-1989
(n=16)
<1980(n=16)
Age Graduation Year
Figure 20 reports average salaries by the advanced degrees those
in academia have obtained, whether they are board certified, and
whether they’ve completed a residency and/or an internship.
Figure 20—Average Salaries by Advanced Degrees, Boards, Residencies, and Internships
(Academia Only)
$88,480$87,820
$75,460
$103,360 $100,540
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
Has Master's(n=36)
Has PhD (n=18) Board Certified(n=56)
CompletedResidency
(n=64)
CompletedInternship
(n=70)
26
Figure 21 shows average salaries by gender.
Figure 21—Average Salaries by Gender(Academia Only)
$89,200
$68,620
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
Male (n=46) Female (n=48)
To provide additional context to Figure 21, Table 3 reports the
average number of hours worked per work—both regular and
emergency/overtime.
Table 3—Average Salaries and the Average Number of Regular and Emergency/Overtime Hours Worked per Week by Gender among Those in Academia
Group/Subgroup Avg. Salary
Reg. Hrs.
ER/OT Hrs.
Avg. Total # of Hrs.
Academia (n=94) $78,700 53 9 62 Males (n=46) $89,200 51 7 58
Females (n=48) $68,620 54 12 66
27
Benefits Provided to Equine Practitioners
In addition to salary information, survey participants were asked
about the employment benefits provided to them. The following
figures show the percentage of all respondents who said their
employer provided them with the benefit.
Figure 22—Benefits Provided by Employer(chart 1 of 2)
93
84
82
77
72
67
62
49
49
47
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
CE expenses
Liability insurance
AAEP dues
Other dues
Health insurance
CE leave
Paid vacation leave
Personal use of vehicle
Disability insurance
Paid holidays
Figure 23—Benefits Provided by Employer(chart 2 of 2)
43
43
40
29
19
12
12
8
7
6
3
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Paid sick leave
Life insurance
IRA
Dental plan
Pension/401-K
Profit-sharing
Vision plan
Unpaid maternity leave
Housing
Paid maternity leave
Other
28
As Figures 22 and 23 show, the majority of respondents receive
several key benefits, such as continuing education expenses, liability
insurance, association dues paid by their employer, health insurance,
continuing education leave, and paid vacation leave. All other benefits
were noted by fewer than half of all survey participants.
When examining the benefits provided by various demographic
segments, some notable differences were discovered, including:
• Those who’ve been in the equine profession longer are more likely to receive certain benefits, including the payment of association dues, continuing education expenses, disability insurance, IRAs, life insurance, health insurance, pension plans or 401-Ks, use of company vehicle, and profit-sharing plans; and
• In contrast, the only benefit newcomers to the profession—who are earning notably less money and carrying a much higher debt load, in general—are more likely to receive is paid vacation, and even this is by only a slight margin.
Among those who said they receive paid vacation, the average
number of days provided is 16 per year. As is to be expected, with
longevity in the profession comes more vacation time—those who
graduated prior to 1990 get 19 to 20 days, whereas those who
graduated between 1990 and 2004 receive 15 to 16 days. Those
who’ve graduated in the last couple of years receive 11 days.
While, on average, respondents receive 16 paid vacation days,
they only use 11 of those.
Among those receiving paid sick leave, an average of 8 days is
provided, and although the same trend observed regarding vacation
time is also found with sick time regarding longevity, the spread is not
as wide—12 days among those who graduated pre-1980 compared to
5 days among those who graduated in 2005 or 2006.
Among those receiving paid holidays, an average of 6 days is
provided.
Another question included on the survey asked participants to
note the percentage of time they have a technician available to assist
them with their work. According to the survey findings, technicians
are available about half the time (52 percent). Among those who have
29
technicians available most frequently are those who practice in a small
animal focused practice (technician available 71 percent of the time),
while those who work in large animal focused practices are among
those with less access to support staff (technician available 41 percent
of the time).
30
Attitudes Regarding Lifestyle
In order to analyze the issue of work/personal life balance, a
series of questions designed to quantify the extent to which equine
practitioners are tied to their jobs was included.
The survey found that:
• On average, equine practitioners work 50 regular hours and 8 emergency hours per week.
o The number of hours worked is slightly higher among those under the age of 30 (53 regular and 10 emergency hours).
o There is a notable difference between the number of hours worked by a respondent employed by an equine-focused practice (51 regular and 8 emergency) compared to a respondent who works for a small animal predominant practice (42 regular and 4 emergency).
o Equine practitioners earning more than $202,000 a year work more regular hours (54) than average, but fewer emergency hours (6).
o One of the most notable findings is the reported number of hours worked among interns/residents—58 regular and 15 emergency hours per week.
• On average, equine practitioners reported being on emergency duty 46 percent of the time.
o Among those who reported the highest percentage of on-call duty were respondents who graduated in the 1990s (51 percent of time is spent on emergency duty); those earning less than $52,000 per year (50 percent of time); those who work for a large animal exclusive or predominant practice (56 percent of time); those who practice general medicine (52 percent of time); and those who are the sole owner of their practices (63 percent of time).
o In contrast, those with the smallest amount of time spent on emergency duty included those 60 years old or older (38 percent of time is spent on emergency duty); those earning more than $202,000 a year (39 percent of time); respondents who said the focus of their equine work is academic (25 percent of time); those who work for a small animal predominant practice (39 percent of time); and those who work for a specialty or referral practice (39 percent of time).
• Few practitioners (less than 10 percent) have taken leaves of absence for personal growth and development, such as for education, missionary work, or child rearing.
31
In addition to the quantitative questions regarding hours spent on
the job, a series of statements designed to measure attitudinal views
was provided, and respondents were asked the extent to which they
agreed or disagreed with each. They were also given the option of
noting that the statement did not apply to them.
The following charts summarize the findings and exclude
respondents who indicated the statement was not applicable.
Please note that the statements have been abbreviated on the charts
and that the full text of each can be found below each chart.
Figure 24—Level of Agreement to Various Statements
48
42
37
34
15
34
34
37
36
30
10
14
16
18
34
8
10
12
21
10
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Benefits are as good orbetter than others
Excellentgrowth/advancement
opportunities
I feel appreciated by myemployer
Someone encourages mygrowth & development
Salary & benefitsexpectations have been
met
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Statements in Figure 24: • The benefits I have with my current employer are as good or better than other
similar organizations. • I believe I have an excellent opportunity to advance or grow with the practice
I’m currently in. • I feel appreciated by my employer for the work I do. • There is someone within my practice who encourages my growth and
development. • My expectations in terms of salary and benefits for a career in equine medicine
have been met or exceeded.
32
Figure 25—Level of Agreement to Various Statements
42
29
22
19
15
32
39
32
39
24
13
20
26
25
33
14
12
17
28
20
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Practice has equitable "oncall" plan
Practice has a hard timelocating employees
Practice has a hard timeretaining employees
I often feel overwhelmedby my workload
There is a shortage ofpractitioners in my area
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Statements in Figure 25: • Our practice has an equitable “on call” plan for its practitioners. • Our practice has a difficult time locating qualified employees to practice equine
medicine. • Our practice has a difficult time retaining qualified employees to practice equine
medicine. • I often feel overwhelmed by the workload I have. • There is a shortage of equine practitioners in my area.
33
Figure 26—Level of Agreement to Various Statements
60
40
28
19
20
34
45
37
43
23
5
12
21
23
27
1
3
16
31
14
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I consider my workrewarding
I enjoy coming to workeach day
I'm provided flexibility tobalance work/personal life
Family resents the amountof time I devote to work
Given educational debt,it's difficult to make ends
meet
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Statements in Figure 26: • I consider the work I do to be rewarding. • I enjoy coming to work each day. • I am provided adequate flexibility to balance both my professional and personal
responsibilities. • I think my family resents the amount of time I must devote to my career. • Given the debt I incurred to obtain my education, my current salary makes it
very difficult to make ends meet.
34
The two statements illustrated in Figure 27 were asked only
among practice owners—both sole proprietors and those who are one
among multiple owners of a practice—and were designed to assess the
extent to which they believe it will be difficult to find someone willing
and able to buy their practice (or the share they own) when the time
comes.
Figure 27—Level of Agreement to Statements Regarding Retirement Among Practice Owners
44
22
35
33
14
27
7
18
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I expect it will be verydifficult to find someone
willing & able to purchasemy practice when I'm
ready to retire
My retirement plans havebeen or will likely be
delayed due to an inabilityto find someone to buy my
practice
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
The full text of the statements illustrated in Figure 27 appears in the figure.
35
The statement illustrated in Figure 28 was asked only among
associates, interns, and residents and was designed to determine
whether these practitioners believed they would have the financial
ability to purchase their own practice one day.
Figure 28—Level of Agreement to Statement Regarding Future Practice Ownership Among Associates,
Interns, & Residents
29 34 20 18
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I would like to own myown practice someday, but
am not sure that will befinancially feasible
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
The full text of the statement illustrated in Figure 28 appears in the figure.
36
Figure 29 illustrates the findings of two statements—one that was
asked only among respondents age 50 or older and another asked only
of those under the age of 40. The results of these two conflicting
statements perhaps best represent the generational differences of
opinion that affect not only the equine medicine profession, but many
professions today.
Figure 29—Level of Agreement to Statements Regarding Generational Differences
35
44
43
41
16
13
5
3
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Younger practitioners arenot as committed to the
profession of equinemedicine as were thosewho came before them(ASKED ONLY OF
THOSE 50 OR OLDER)
Older practitioners don'trespect younger
practitioners' desire tostrike a better
work/personal life balance(ASKED ONLY OFTHOSE UNDER 40
YEARS OLD)
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
The full text of the statements illustrated in Figure 29 appears in the figure.
37
Figure 30 illustrates the findings of two similar statements—one
that was asked in the current study and another that was included in
the 2005 Membership Survey. It is important to note that the wording
on the two questions varied slightly, and that, in 2005, a 5-category
scale was used—a scale which included a “neutral” option. For the
purposes of illustrating the findings in Figure 30, the results to the
2005 study were recalculated removing the neutral category. Simply
put, though quite similar, these results cannot be considered an
apples-to-apples comparison.
Figure 30—Level of Agreement to Statement: “Professional longevity is of greater concern to equine practitioners than for those
in other areas of veterinary medicine.”
32
48
45
41
19
8
4
4
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2007 Lifestyle & SalarySurvey
2005 Membership Survey
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Interestingly, among those most likely to “strongly agree” with
this statement were those who graduated in 2005 or 2006 (38 percent).
Thirty-nine percent of practitioners working with in a practice with a
racing focus “strongly agreed,” as did 37 percent of those who work
for an equine practice. There is little difference of opinion when
comparing practice owners with associates or interns/residents.
38
Figure 31 depicts the results of a statement included on the
survey that specifically targeted women. It was designed to determine
whether female practitioners have felt it necessary to delay having
children due to concerns that a pregnancy would negatively impact
their equine medicine career.
Figure 31—Level of Agreement to Statement Regarding Children Among Females
40 31 11 18
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I am delaying/did delayhaving children because of
the potential negativeimpact it would have on
my equine career
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
As the figure above illustrates, 4 out of 10 women “strongly
agreed” with this statement. Those who have graduated since 2000
were more likely to hold this sentiment than are women who’ve been
practicing longer.
When examining results by whether or not the respondent
currently has children under the age of 18, it is found that 46 percent
of women without children “strongly agree” with the statement.
While income seems to have some bearing on the extent to which
women agree with this statement, debt load appears to have even
more—46 percent of those with a high educational debt load
“strongly agree,” compared to 39 percent with a low debt load and 37
percent with no educational debt.
39
Attitudes toward this issue appear to have an impact on a
woman’s view of the profession overall—6 out of 10 women who said
they are not likely to encourage students to pursue an equine medicine
career “strongly agreed” that they are delaying or did delay becoming a
mother out of concern for their career.
Another question included on the survey sheds additional light
on this issue. Women were asked how accommodating their employer
was during their pregnancies, if applicable. Of the 661 women who
responded to the question, 77 percent said the question did not apply
to them. Among those for whom it did apply, the majority stated that
their employer was either “very accommodating” (47 percent) or
“somewhat accommodating” (29 percent), as Figure 32 shows.
Figure 32—Extent To Which Employer Was Accommodating During Pregnancy
29%
47%
9%
16%
Very accommodating Somewhat accommodatingNot very accommodating Not accommodating at all
Given the relatively small number of women who said this
question applied to them (155), when examining results by various
demographic markers there are few statistically relevant findings. One
notable observation, however, is that among women “very likely” to
recommend equine medicine to veterinary school students, 68
40
percent said their employer was “very accommodating” during their
pregnancy, while among those merely “somewhat likely” to
recommend a career in equine medicine, only 37 percent characterized
their employer as “very accommodating.” And when looking at those
women “not likely” to encourage students to pursue an equine
medicine career, only 11 percent said their employer was “very
accommodating,” while 32 percent labeled their employer as “not
accommodating at all.”
41
Overall Job Satisfaction
The survey also included a question to gauge respondents’ overall
level of job satisfaction. As Figure 33 illustrates, the vast majority of
respondents reported being satisfied. However, among those who are
satisfied, nearly as many reported being only “somewhat satisfied” as
said they are “very satisfied.”
Figure 33—Current Level of Job Satisfaction
43%
42%
3%
12%
Very satisfied Somewhat satisfiedSomewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Generally speaking, younger, less experienced practitioners were
notably more likely to report lower levels of satisfaction when
compared to older, more seasoned respondents. For example, while
only 29 percent of respondents under the age of 30 said they were
“very satisfied,” more than double that percentage (64 percent) of
respondents over 60 held that view.
There was also a strong correlation between income and reported
levels of job satisfaction. In general, the more money a respondent
makes, the more likely he or she is to have a high level of job
satisfaction. However, it is interesting to note that respondents in the
lowest income group (under $52,000) report higher levels of
satisfaction than those in the next category ($52,000 to $70,000).
42
When examining results by employee type, there were some
noticeable differences in the level of reported job satisfaction, with
practice owners notably more satisfied. On average, 54 percent of
owners said they were “very satisfied.” That number drops to 39
percent among interns and residents. The group least satisfied, though,
is associates, with only 28 percent reporting a high level of job
satisfaction.
43
Likelihood of Encouraging Equine Medicine Career
Respondents were also asked how likely they would be to
encourage veterinary school students to pursue a career in equine
medicine. As Figure 34 shows, the findings closely mirror those in the
previous question regarding job satisfaction.
Figure 34—Likelihood of Encouraging Veterinary School Students to Pursue a Equine Medicine Career
45%
44%
9%
2%
Very likely Somewhat likely Not very likely Not likely at all
While the overall results to this question are similar to those seen
on the job satisfaction question, a review of demographic subgroups
reveals some interesting differences. Those least likely to encourage
students to pursue a career in equine medicine tended to be
practitioners who’ve been out of school a few years, were in their 30s,
and who were earning between $52,000 and $70,000 a year.
Those who work in a small animal predominant practice seem
particularly inclined not to promote an equine career, with nearly 1 out
of 5 practitioners (19 percent) not likely to encourage a student to go
into equine medicine (a combination of “not very likely” and “not
likely at all”).
When looking at results by employee type, it is found that
practice owners who are one of multiple owners were more likely to
44
promote a career in the industry (53 percent), followed by
interns/residents (48 percent), then sole proprietors (46 percent).
Associates are least likely to promote a career in equine medicine (39
percent).
Among respondents who said their salary and benefits
expectations had not been met when it came to their career in equine
medicine, nearly one-quarter (23 percent) said they were either “not
very likely” or “not likely at all” to encourage students to pursue a
career in equine medicine.
45
Open-ended Questions
Finally, respondents were asked several open-ended questions
regarding issues related to respondents’ ability to strike a balance
between work and personal life responsibilities, the first of which was
a follow-up for those who gave dissatisfied ratings on overall job
satisfaction. When the 194 respondents who gave scores of either
“somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” were asked what factors
contribute to their job dissatisfaction, four recurring themes emerged
from a review of their responses:
• They work long hours and subsequently experience burnout;
• Their on-call/emergency hours are excessive;
• They receive low pay; and
• They feel they have no life or personal time outside of the workplace.
In the next question, those who mentioned that they would be
unlikely to encourage students to pursue a career in equine medicine
were asked why that was so. While this group was smaller than those
dissatisfied with their job (133 respondents compared to 194), similar
recurring complaints were voiced (long hours, low pay, and no
personal time). In addition to these, other factors contributing to
respondents’ general malaise with the equine profession were these:
the length of education for equine medicine compared to small animal
veterinarians, educational debt load, the knowledge that small animal
vets can make more money and have better work hours, stress, the
risk of danger, difficulties for women, particularly in receiving
maternity leave, as well as realizing the difference between a passion
for horses and a passion for veterinary medicine.
The final question—which was asked of all respondents—
addressed the very crux of the matter and the impetus for including
lifestyle questions in the salary survey: what is the single most
important thing that would make balancing my professional and
personal career easier? While a rare few noted that they’ve already
achieved a balance, many mentioned that nothing could be done.
46
Others responded rather sarcastically that they would like to “win the
lottery.” While it seems to be a flippant comment, its recurrence may
be more telling. Yes, winning the lottery would lighten the educational
debt load and close the wage gap among practice types, but the
probability of winning the lottery is quite unlikely. Much the same,
some jaded respondents may believe that the resolution for this
conflict between personal life and career is just as unlikely. It is better
to retire, to sell their practice, or change professions all together.
Where respondents were able to fill in the blank, however, their
responses are predictable—they are the very answers to their job
dissatisfaction and their unlikelihood to promote the equine industry:
to be more with family and friends, to work fewer hours, to receive a
salary increase, to find another vet to share their workload but who
has the same goals and motivations, to learn how to say “no,” to
reduce their debt load, and to have flexibility in their schedule, among
others.
47
Participant Profiles
Demographic Breakouts
n addition to measuring various dimensions of participants’
attitudes about lifestyle issues and salary information, the
survey assessed demographic information on respondents.
These findings are included in the tables that follow.
Table 4—Gender
Male 47% Female 53
Table 5—Age
29 or younger 20% 30 to 39 28 40 to 49 24 50 to 59 22
60 or older 7
Table 6—Institution from which veterinary degree was received (top 10 responses only; see data tables for a complete list)
Colorado State University 8% University of
California/Davis 6
Cornell University 5 Auburn University 5
Ohio State University 5 University of Pennsylvania 5
Texas A&M University 5 Michigan State University 5
Kansas State University 4 University of Minnesota 4
Table 7—Location of employer (top 10 responses only; see data tables for a complete list)
California 9% Texas 6
Kentucky 5 Florida 5
New York 4 Virginia 4
Pennsylvania 3 Colorado 3
Wisconsin 3 Minnesota 3
I
48
Table 8—Category that best describes equine work in 2006
Performance/pleasure 66% Racing 9
Regulatory/government 2 Reproduction 10
Industry 1 Academic/research 7
Other 5
Table 9—Mean average percentage of time practice is devoted to certain services (total will sum to ~100%)
Performance/pleasure 42% Work/ranch 5
Referral surgical/medical 11 Racetrack 9
Regulatory 3 Reproduction 15
Non-equine 12 Other 4
Table 10—Degrees in addition to DVM/VMD
None 81% Doctorate 4
Masters 17
Table 11—Percentage of respondents who have completed one or more of each of the following
Internship 38% Residency 16%
Masters 14%
Table 12—Areas in which respondents have been employed throughout their careers (excluding training programs)
Private practice 95% College or university 20 Federal government 3
State or local government 5 Industry/commercial firm 5
Other 3 None of the above 2
49
Table 13—Did respondent work in a private practice in 2006
Yes 88% No 12
Table 14—Primary focus of practice (among those who worked in a private practice in 2006)
Equine 72% Large animal exclusive 6
Large animal predominant 4 Small animal predominant 5
Mixed animal 13 Other <1
Table 15—Primary function of practice (among those who worked in a private practice in 2006)
General medicine 76% Emergency care <1
Specialty/referral 17 Consulting 1
Other 5
Table 16—Employment status (among those who worked in a private practice in 2006)
Practice owner: sole proprietor 28%
Practice owner: partner 8 Practice owner: corporate
shareholder 14
Practice owner: LLC 8 Associate 34
Hospital director of a corporate practice 1
Relief 1 Consultant 1
Intern 5 Resident <1
Table 17—Average number—not percentage—of each of the following working in private practices
All veterinarians 5 Full-time veterinarians 5
All non-veterinarians 13 Full-time non-veterinarians 10
50
Table 18—Size of community where practice is located (among those who worked in a private practice in 2006)
<2,500 residents 8% 2,500-24,999 residents 27
25,000-49,999 residents 16 50,000-99,999 residents 15
100,000-499,999 residents 19 500,000 or more residents 15
Table 19—Employer type (among those who did not work in a private practice in 2006)
College/university 67% Federal government 6
State or local government 12 Industry/commercial firm 10
Other 5
Table 20—Position (among those who did not work in a private practice in 2006)
Full Professor 15% Associate Professor 13 Assistant Professor 11
CEO/Chief Administrator/Dean 2
Vice President/ Director/Associate Dean 4
Group Manager/ Department Chair 2
Program Leader/ Coordinator/Section Head 7
Clinician 10 Researcher 1
Other 21
Table 21—Primary function (among those who did not work in a private practice in 2006)
Clinical medicine 47% Consulting/development 1
Management/administration 12 Marketing 1 Research 9 Teaching 12
Technical/sales support 4 Other 15
51
Table 22—Marital status
Married 68% Single 34
Divorced 7 Widowed 1
Table 23—Spouse working outside of home (among married respondents)
Yes 77% No 23
Table 24—Spouse also a veterinarian (among married respondents)
Yes 17% No 84
Table 25—Children living in the home
Yes 34% No 66
Table 26—Among those who have children in the home, the percentage who have children in each of the following age groups
Children under the age of 7 65% Between 7 and 12 years old 50%
Between 13 and 18 years old 46%
Table 27—Predominant means of childcare (among those with children)
Childcare facility 26% Nanny 7
Paid friend or family member 7 Free care provided 10
Children come to work with respondent 6
Other 4 No childcare needed 41