Salaries are annual unless otherwise stated.
Salary and wage information for New Zealand professions is compiled regularly by analysis of New Zealand jobs advertised in major publications. Job ads in New Zealand often do not mention remuneration. Salaries are generally negotiable, within limits.
Job titles in this occupation vary and some examples are veterinarian, vet and veterinary surgeon.
Veterinarians typically earn between $65,000 and $120,000 depending on their area of expertise, location and experience. A typical starting salary for a graduate veterinarian is $60,000. After three years a salary of $75,000 to $90,000 can be expected.
There is a shortage of veterinarians in New Zealand and this occupation is currently on New Zealand’s long term skills shortage list.
All veterinarians working in New Zealand must be registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand and hold a current practising certificate.
The number of registered veterinarians has been increasing steadily of the past few years. In 2018 there were 2,966 registered practising veterinarians in New Zealand compared to 2,312 in 2008.
The University of Massey in Palmerston North is the only university in New Zealand offering a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree. It is a five year course and is restricted to around one hundred students in each year.
Veterinarian Salaries / Wages in 2020
| Position | Salary / Wage $ | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Large Animal / Mixed Veterinarian | 85,000+ | Northland |
| Locum Veterinarian | 75,000 – 90,000 | Auckland |
| Equine Vet | 85,000 -105,000 | Rural South Auckland |
| Dairy Graduate Veterinarian | 60,000 | Taranaki |
| Production Animal Veterinarian | 75,000 – 90,000 | Manawatu |
| Experienced Veterinarian | 100,000+ | Wellington |
| Small Animal Veterinarian | 75,000 – 95,000 | Waikato |
| Veterinarian | 85,000 – 105,000 | Christchurch |
| Senior Veterinarian | 90,000 – 110,000 | Canterbury |
| Large Animal Veterinarian | 90,000 – 120,000 | Timaru |
| | ||
Looking for a new job?
Be sure to read our guide: Things you MUST do when writing a New Zealand CV/Resume to help boost your chances of getting a job interview.
These are wildly optimistic figures! New graduates are on $48-65k, and to get the top-end, you have to be working in the arse-end of nowhere as a cattle vet. A realistic amount would be $55k as an average. Look at the Vet Club Salary Scale for more info,
Agree entirely with you Harry, so does the NZVA…
Even after some experience, smallies GPs max out after about 5 years at ~$90k. To make more, you typically have to be a partner or specialist. 130k as a salaried GP, dreaming!