Hiring a vet in 2026 is a seller's market. EU registrations to the RCVS are still down by more than two-thirds since Brexit, demand has only grown, and roughly half of UK vets report burnout — so the practices that pay (and package) well are the ones filling chairs. This guide breaks down what veterinary surgeons actually earn this year, so you can make an offer that lands.
What vets earn in 2026
£30k–£35k
Newly qualified
£48k
Lower-range median (up ~9% YoY)
£60k+
Experienced / certificate-holders
~£81k
Senior / specialist (high range)
The market has a clear two-tier shape: entry and mid-range pay is climbing fast (roughly 9% year on year as practices compete), while the senior end has plateaued around £81,000 for most non-specialist roles. Headline averages land in the £44,000–£55,000 range depending on the source and region.
Salary by experience
| Experience | Typical salary (2026) |
|---|---|
| New graduate | £30,000 – £35,000 |
| 2–5 years | £38,000 – £48,000 |
| 5–10 years / certificate | £48,000 – £62,000 |
| Senior / specialist / clinical lead | £62,000 – £81,000+ |
What else moves the number
- Location — London and the South East pay a premium; rural and farm roles vary widely.
- Out-of-hours — sole-charge or OOH commitments push pay up sharply.
- Certificates — an advanced practitioner or RCVS certificate is worth a real premium.
- Species mix — equine and farm pay differently to small-animal first-opinion.
Locum rates
Locum vets command a premium for flexibility, which is exactly why locum spend balloons when a permanent vacancy sits open. Filling the permanent role quickly is almost always cheaper than covering it with locums for months.
The package, not just the salary
Vets increasingly choose on the whole package. Most practices pay RCVS and VDS fees, and a CPD allowance of £1,000–£1,500 is now expected rather than generous. Flexibility, realistic rotas, genuine clinical support and a no-blame culture are doing as much to win (and keep) candidates as the headline figure.
Before you make an offer
Confirm the candidate is on the RCVS register — you can check at findavet.rcvs.org.uk. On The Practice Standard, every candidate's registration is verified before they reach you.
How to hire one — without a 20% agency fee
A recruitment agency typically charges 15–25% of first-year salary — £9,000–£15,000 on a £60k vet. A verified job board reaches the same registered candidates for a flat fee. Post the role, lead with the package (not just the salary), and be quick: in a shortage market, the slow practice loses the good ones.
Hire a verified vet
Figures drawn from 2026 UK market data (PayScale, Glassdoor, Indeed, Vet Record Jobs and sector salary surveys); treat them as ranges, not guarantees — regional and practice-type variation is wide.