Vet interns/residents take home salary?

[AshleyBH]

Hey folks!

I am wondering what is the average take home salary for vet interns and residents? Could current interns/residents tell me how much they lose from their base pay through taxes, insurance, ...etc?

TIA

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[deleted498041]

Hey folks!

I am wondering what is the average take home salary for vet interns and residents? Could current interns/residents tell me how much they lose from their base pay through taxes, insurance, ...etc?

TIA

I was curious about this when I was trying to budget and plan for intern year. You can find salaries for programs that are on VIRMP on the VIRMP website -- outside of the match, you'd have to ask the institution or previous interns and residents.

If you want to determine how your take home pay is affected by taxes, I've been using neuvoo. It seems accurate. For me, personally, I'll lose about $6300 in taxes next year. I'm going to be working in a state with state income tax, so it's probably a little higher than some other people will report. Also, different calculators give you slightly different numbers. I've gotten a range of $6100-6800 in taxes. Kind of a big range, but a good start. Hope that helps!

 

[pooter]

I was at what was probably one of the best-paying internships in the country. After taxes, I made about $500/week and got a $1600 tax refund in April. The trouble was, the salary didn't keep up with rents in the area, so I was spending $1500/month just to live in an apartment (before utilities, groceries, car insurance, ect.). I ended up making it through only because of family support and by depleting what remained of my student loan money. All this is to say that you have to interpret salary for each specific program in light of the cost of living in the area and not by the dollar amount alone.

 

[JaynaAli]

As an intern my gross salary was $28,000/year in a relatively high cost of living area. I chose the smallest, cheapest health insurance plan I could and prayed I didn't get seriously ill/hurt outside of something that would be a worker's comp claim. I took home $1800 a month, $1150 of which went to rent. (so 28k->21.5k/yr)

As a resident, I make a little more but also the school pays for great health insurance for me through the local medical school/hospital system. I currently live in a state without state income tax and take home almost exactly $2,000/month. (so 32k->24k/yr)

 

[SocialStigma]

Internship: Salary was $30k but after taxes/benefits I took home ~$22k for the year. High cost of living area (rent alone was $1400/mo without utilities).

Residency: Salary of $33k, after taxes/benefits I take home ~$25k per year. Low cost of living area.

 

[variegata]

On paper, I make $30k/year. Take home pay is ~$850/pay period or $22k/year.
For my internship, I don't remember what my take home pay was, but salary was $34k. It was in a high income area, and similar to SocialStigma, I paid around $1300/mo in rent alone. My residency isn't in a super low cost of living area, but comparatively, I pay a little more than half of what I did in rent now.

 

[AshleyBH]

Thank you guys, but do think these rates are enough for two persons?

 

[deleted498041]

Thank you guys, but do think these rates are enough for two persons?

You mean like supporting two people on an intern's salary? Absolutely not. The only way most people are surviving intern year is with the help of fourth year loans/family/SO/etc. I'm going to be working extra shifts on most of my days off in order to afford health insurance. I wouldn't be able to support another human being.

 

[JaynaAli]

I agree with rwwilliams. It's barely enough for one person. I did make it work alone but had a little help. My family paid/pays my car insurance and phone bill. I can pay the rest of my bills [rent, electric, internet, renter's insurance, pet insurance, student loan payment] and put away a very little bit in savings most months. If I got in a bind they'd help me out more.
I suppose it's possible to support another person with that salary, but it definitely won't be easy and a lot of it will depend on cost of living where you live. Some costs are fixed no matter how many people live there with you (rent, internet) but the variable ones like an additional car, gas, food, electric, insurance for that other person will all add up. My internmates with significant others all had the spouses working a full time job to help the intern make ends meet...definitely not the other way around.

 

[pooter]

Thank you guys, but do think these rates are enough for two persons?

I had an internmate who did this somehow with rent maybe $100/month less than mine. I think they must have been getting family support, especially since they both had medical expenses that year. The non-vet partner went pretty stir-crazy, living in a shoebox studio in a strange state with no money to do anything and often no car. Somehow they stayed married.

 

[AshleyBH]

You mean like supporting two people on an intern's salary? Absolutely not. The only way most people are surviving intern year is with the help of fourth year loans/family/SO/etc. I'm going to be working extra shifts on most of my days off in order to afford health insurance. I wouldn't be able to support another human being.

It seems that UK may be better

I agree with rwwilliams. It's barely enough for one person. I did make it work alone but had a little help. My family paid/pays my car insurance and phone bill. I can pay the rest of my bills [rent, electric, internet, renter's insurance, pet insurance, student loan payment] and put away a very little bit in savings most months. If I got in a bind they'd help me out more.
I suppose it's possible to support another person with that salary, but it definitely won't be easy and a lot of it will depend on cost of living where you live. Some costs are fixed no matter how many people live there with you (rent, internet) but the variable ones like an additional car, gas, food, electric, insurance for that other person will all add up. My internmates with significant others all had the spouses working a full time job to help the intern make ends meet...definitely not the other way around.

Is that from a perspective of intern or resident, or it does not make a big difference?

I had an internmate who did this somehow with rent maybe $100/month less than mine. I think they must have been getting family support, especially since they both had medical expenses that year. The non-vet partner went pretty stir-crazy, living in a shoebox studio in a strange state with no money to do anything and often no car. Somehow they stayed married.

Hopefully, they are aware of that temporary situation

 

[JaynaAli]

Is that from a perspective of intern or resident, or it does not make a big difference?

It does not make a big difference. I make an extra $200/month as a resident versus what I did as an intern. But I also did not have a student loan payment as an intern and now I do, so that 'extra' money just goes to my loans.

Hopefully, they are aware of that temporary situation

Also don't underestimate the effects internship/residency and being at work the vast majority of the time have on the significant other. Yes, hopefully they realize it is a temporary situation, but it is a very trying thing on a relationship. I am single and have not had to worry about it, but one internmate became separated and now divorced from his wife (at the wife's request) and an engaged internmate's fiancée called off the wedding and they are no longer together. The year prior at my clinic another intern got divorced as well. There needs to be good communication between everyone. It can be done with the relationship intact, but being upfront and realistic about things is important because it is a trying time for everyone.


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[deleted498041]

It seems that UK may be better

I guess I should have specified that my answers are US-specific! My bad

 

[AshleyBH]

I guess I should have specified that my answers are US-specific! My bad

Not at all