Survey on the Working Conditions, Salary, and Job Satisfaction of Employed Veterinarians in Germany

Abstract

Simple Summary Employed veterinarians in Germany were surveyed regarding their income, job satisfaction, and working conditions via an open online survey. Answers of up to 1184 veterinarians were analyzed, representing 6% of employed veterinarians in Germany. The hourly salary for veterinarians in their first year of employment was about 21.35 € before taxes. This salary is significantly lower than the income of human medical doctors in their first year of specialization training in Germany. Section of work (pets, equines, farm animals, or non-curative), years in the profession, leadership role, and additional qualifications influenced the salary. Adjusted for these factors, men still earned around 7% more than women. Job satisfaction was comparable to that of the validation study population but lower than in other academic professions. Employees of corporates had a significantly lower job satisfaction than employees of owner-managed practices. Results indicate that requirements of the German Working Hours Act are regularly not complied with, yet around 50% of affected veterinarians were not bothered by working long hours or without breaks. Collective agreements would legally allow for longer working hours while compensating for this effort and reducing the gender pay gap. plain-language-summary Abstract This online survey aimed to elaborate on the salary, working conditions, and job satisfaction of employed veterinarians in Germany. The focus was on factors influencing salaries, violations of German laws, and comparisons between employees of owner- and corporate-managed practices. Answers of up to 1184 veterinarians were analyzed, representing 6% of employed veterinarians. The hourly salary increased by around 19% compared to a study in 2020, but remained significantly lower than in comparable professions and did not rise as much as the national average over the last five years. A multifactorial linear model showed that working experience, additional qualifications, leadership role for other veterinarians, section (pets, equines, farm animals, or non-curative), and gender significantly influenced the salary. The adjusted gender pay gap was about 7%. Employees of corporations earned significantly more than veterinarians being employed in owner-managed practices, but not when salary was adjusted for overtime. Moreover, employees of corporations had significantly lower job satisfaction. Requirements of the German Working Hours Act were regularly not complied with, as e.g., around 40% of respondents reported not being able to take their legally required break at least once per week. Results indicate that, despite improvements, there is still a need to address working conditions to retain veterinarians in the profession.