Below is a brief synopsis of a 1-hour CE course from Hound.
How much can a relief veterinarian expect to earn per shift? At ZipRecruiter's September 2026 national average of $79.58 an hour for per diem relief veterinarians, an 8-hour shift pays about $637 and a 10-hour shift pays about $796, before taxes and business expenses.
Knowing the going rate is only half of a good negotiation. Understanding the "rules" of negotiation is crucial too, especially before you attempt to break them. The first rule of negotiation is to know your counterpart. As a relief veterinarian, you might be negotiating with a practice manager or HR. Before entering negotiations, consider their perspectives and potential concerns. This understanding will help you present your case effectively.
How Much a Relief Veterinarian Earns per Shift
Per-shift pay depends heavily on where you pick up shifts. ZipRecruiter's state by state data puts the hourly rate for per diem relief veterinarians anywhere from $59.47 in Florida to $90.13 in Washington. The table below multiplies each hourly rate by a standard shift length.
That gap means the same 10-hour shift is worth about $306 more in Washington than in Florida. Per-shift pay also matters more than an annual salary for most relief vets, because few work a full-time week. Relief or contract veterinarians averaged 28.7 hours a week and reported a median professional income of $120,000 in the AVMA's 2025 Economic State of the Veterinary Profession report, which covers income earned in 2023. If your state isn't in the table, our state by state breakdown of relief veterinarian pay has the full list.
The Steps of Negotiation
The mechanics of negotiation involve several steps. After an interview, you'll receive an initial offer. This is typically followed by a period of rebuttal and clarification, leading to further discussion and possibly a counteroffer. The process concludes with either acceptance or rejection.
Different Negotiation Techniques
Several negotiation techniques may be beneficial.
Widening the pie
Widening the pie involves expanding the negotiation's scope to create a more favorable outcome for both parties. For example, if you are offered $700 for a shift but want $800, the clinic may agree to pay the higher rate if you perform surgeries during your shifts. This way, the clinic increases its revenue, and you receive a higher pay.
BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement)
Another technique is BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement), where you propose an alternative solution if the clinic can't meet your initial demands. It's about not showing all your cards at once to maintain negotiation leverage. Making the first offer can also be beneficial: anchoring the conversation with a number you've researched, rather than waiting to react to theirs, tends to shift the outcome in your favor.
Negotiation doesn't end once you accept a rate, either. Establishing a culture of continuous feedback throughout your relief contract keeps the door open for future adjustments. It's not a formal review, just ongoing communication that creates room for negotiation points down the line.
Making Your Salary Negotiation a Success
Preparation, strategy, and practice are key to successful salary negotiation. Start by gathering real data on standard relief rates before you walk in. Per diem relief veterinarians average $165,527 a year nationally, according to ZipRecruiter. That works out to $79.58 an hour, well ahead of the $62.55 median hourly wage the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for all veterinarians in May 2025. That premium is useful leverage walking into a negotiation: you're not asking a practice for a favor, you're pricing in a role practices already know costs more.
From there, a few things are worth having ready before you talk numbers:
- Your value proposition: your offerings and how you communicate them, which can be harder to define than the rate itself but is just as critical.
- Your approach: whether you'll raise the topic by phone or email, and how you'll open the conversation.
- Your practice reps: rehearsing out loud, even in informal settings like a flea market, so the real conversation doesn't catch you off guard.
Before entering negotiations, consider your mindset too. Reflect on your beliefs about money and negotiation, your emotional reactions to it, and your past experiences: understanding your emotions beforehand can meaningfully improve your outcomes.
Starting as a relief vet can feel like negotiating blind the first few times, but each conversation makes the next one easier, and the per-shift numbers in this guide are proof you don't have to walk in guessing at what's fair.