Understanding potential earnings is crucial for veterinarians considering career paths, especially relief work. This guide provides an in-depth look at veterinary salaries, focusing on how much a vet can make a year, particularly with flexible platforms like Roo.
We’ve also developed a handy Relief Veterinarian Salary Calculator, allowing you to estimate your annual salary based on the number of relief shifts you plan to work, utilizing average Roo rates in your area.
Calculate My Relief Veterinarian Salary
Our goal is to equip you with a clear understanding of potential earnings as a relief veterinarian in your city, or any Roo location you may be interested in exploring. If you possess the necessary licensing, we can provide the shifts to match.
We’ve meticulously analyzed and updated our data for 2024, and we will continue to provide annual updates to keep you informed. To accurately reflect earning potential on Roo, we’ll be using averages from the most recent three months.
Veterinary Salary Benchmarks: How Much Can You Expect to Make?
Let’s establish some foundational facts about veterinarian salaries to provide context:
- National Average (2023): According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean national hourly wage for veterinarians in 2023 was $65.63 per hour. While considered accurate, these figures may not reflect the most current market conditions.
- ZipRecruiter Estimate (2024): ZipRecruiter estimated the average veterinary wage at $79.58 per hour as of December 2nd, 2024, based on job postings and other data.
- Roo Relief Vets (2024): The average wage for Roo relief vets nationwide in 2024 is $144 per hour, a notable increase from $135 in 2023!
This data indicates that relief veterinarians working through Roo can potentially earn 1.5 to 2 times more per hour compared to traditional full-time roles.
The average Roo veterinarian shift yields $1,290 for 9 hours of work. This is an increase from the $1,238 earned in the previous year.
Understanding the Nuances of Relief Work Income
While the higher earning potential of relief work is attractive, it’s essential to consider other factors that can influence your take-home pay. Taxes are a significant consideration, but being prepared can mitigate their impact. As an independent contractor with Roo, taxes are not automatically withheld from your pay. This means you receive the full shift payment upfront, but you’ll need to plan for paying taxes quarterly or annually.
For helpful tax resources, visit our Tax Center in Vet Concierge.
The frequency of shifts you work is another crucial factor. The flexibility of relief work allows you to control your schedule and income, giving you the power to customize your work-life balance.
Roo’s Impact on Annual Veterinary Income
How much can a vet make a year on Roo? The answer depends on your work preferences and availability. Some veterinarians utilize Roo as their primary source of income, working full-time relief shifts, while others supplement their existing income with occasional shifts.
To understand earning potential, let’s compare Roo income with national averages. ZipRecruiter estimates the average annual veterinarian salary at $165,527, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports $136,301. It is worth noting that the BLS data tends to lag by a year.
In 2024, top-earning Roo relief veterinarians exceeded $300,000, with some high performers surpassing $400,000! These figures illustrate the income potential for those working relief full-time.
Factoring in Benefits and Coverage
When working relief full-time, it’s essential to account for benefits typically provided by employers, such as health insurance. Roo offers resources to assist with this, including a partnership with Stride Health.
Health insurance costs vary depending on age and location. For example, a 30-year-old might pay around $483 per month, while someone in their 40s could pay $544 per month. These costs can be covered with just a few Roo shifts, given the average Roo shift pays $1,290.
Professional liability and license defense insurance are also recommended for relief veterinarians. Roo has partnered with the AVMA PLIT to provide affordable coverage.
While managing these expenses independently requires planning, the flexibility and higher earning potential of relief work can be a significant advantage.
Alternatively, you can maintain a full-time veterinary position with benefits and supplement your income with relief shifts as needed.
Balancing Work and Lifestyle
Relief veterinarians have the flexibility to work as much or as little as they desire, allowing for a customized balance between income and free time.
With Roo’s higher hourly rates, you could potentially earn a full-time salary while working fewer hours and covering your own benefits and taxes.
Ultimately, the annual salary of a Roo veterinarian is determined by your individual goals and preferences.
Regional Earning Potential for Roo Vets
To provide more specific guidance, let’s examine earning potential in different cities.
New York City leads the way with average hourly rates of $176 an hour. Los Angeles and Philadelphia follow closely with $173 and $172 respectively.
The highest state-wide average rates were observed in New Jersey at $179 an hour.
You can explore specific shift rates by signing up for Roo or logging into your account. Roo also provides shift details such as duration and appointment volume.
Keep an eye out for boosted shift prices, which offer even higher earning potential. These shifts often arise from urgent needs and can pay over $2,000 for a single shift!
For those considering becoming a traveling relief veterinarian, it is important to note that while these numbers can give you an idea of what to expect in new cities, choosing destinations based on personal interest rather than pay is advisable. Cost of living tends to adjust in relation to wages, so lower rates are often offset by lower expenses.
Embracing the Flexibility of Relief Veterinary Work
Relief veterinarians are highly valued, and their compensation reflects this demand. The flexibility to set your own hours allows for a customized work-life balance. While higher hourly rates are possible, annual income depends on the number of hours worked. The key is to find the right balance for your individual needs and priorities.
Roo provides an opportunity to accelerate student loan repayment, save for a home, or achieve greater control over your schedule. Whether you seek the stability of a full-time position with supplemental relief work or the independence of full-time relief work, Roo offers a pathway to achieve your goals.
