The Student Room Group

Vet nurse advice?

I'm really thinking about doing vet nursing at uni, but I keep hearing that the pay is bad.Obviously, for me, it's more about the animals than money, but it makes me worry a bit. Makes me wonder if I'd be able to live and support myself with a low wage. Can anyone say if they are able to support themselves or what they do to earn a bit more as a vet nurse?

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by shapeless-keep
I'm really thinking about doing vet nursing at uni, but I keep hearing that the pay is bad.Obviously, for me, it's more about the animals than money, but it makes me worry a bit. Makes me wonder if I'd be able to live and support myself with a low wage. Can anyone say if they are able to support themselves or what they do to earn a bit more as a vet nurse?

Good question, but tricky to answer.

Salary range (from Prospectus )

At entry level, veterinary nurses usually start at £23,000 to £26,000.

Qualified veterinary nurses with around five years' experience earn between £27,000 and £30,500.

More senior veterinary nurses or lecturers can earn up to £40,000.

You can also check veterinary job listings for current vacancies.

Yes, the salary is not high, but you may be able to increase your earnings by working weekend or night shifts at a hospital.
It depends on where you live—this is quite a low salary for London’s current rental market—and how far you need to travel for work. A good starting point would be to assess whether you could cover half of your current rent and bills on a £23k salary.

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