AAEP Salary & Life Style Survey 2008

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 .)



$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


$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


$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


$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


$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)


(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


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


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


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


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


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


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)


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


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


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

Business

AAEP Salary & Life Style Survey 2008