Grad Student Competition
Factors associated with veterinarian compensation in rural practice
| Date/Time: |
8/28/2026
08:45
|
| Author: |
Caroline Wingert |
| Clinic: |
Kansas State University, Beef Cattle Institute |
| City, State, ZIP: |
Manhattan, KS 66502 |
B.J. White, DVM, MS
1
;
J.L. Ward, DVM, DACVIM
2
;
T.G. Gunderson, DVM, MS, ACVPM
1
;
C.K.Wingert, BS
1
;
1Clinical Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States
2Veterinary Clinical Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States
Introduction:
Rural veterinarians experience variability in compensation, but little work has been done to describe the factors associated with these differences. The study objective was to determine factors associated with financial compensation of rural veterinarians.
Materials and methods:
An anonymous electronic survey was distributed to veterinarians nationally. Respondents were included if they consented, identified as rural, completed the survey beyond screening questions, and were either a practice owner or an associate veterinarian. Multivariable regression models were fitted via manual forward selection of significant variables (p≤0.05) with owner / associate veterinarian salary as the outcomes and other survey responses as covariates.
Results:
Variables significantly associated with increased owner salary included increased clinic revenue, private clinic ownership (relative to corporate), having non-veterinarian clinic owners, and respondents still paying off student loan debt. Variables significantly associated with higher associate veterinarian salary included graduating from veterinary school between 1990-1999, having >2 weeks annual paid vacation, having an in-house pharmacy in the clinic, and practicing in the southern United States (relative to the Midwest).
Significance:
Factors associated with veterinarian salary differed between owners and associates. Programs intended to increase financial compensation for rural veterinarians should consider practice role, along with clinic management, location, student debt, and business structure.
