How much does a vet make in Japan?
Answer: The average vet in Japan makes $45,367 (¥6.81M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $3,315 × 12 + bonus $5,591. Average age 38.7; about 5,000 people work in this job. Well above the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Vet pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $45,367 | $47,723 | $43,013 | 38.7 |
| Big company | $48,047 | $44,915 | $50,581 | 39.7 |
| Mid-size | $43,229 | $45,057 | $41,114 | 39.5 |
| Small company | $45,748 | $49,616 | $41,941 | 38.1 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can vary with experience, region, and workplace: government vets follow public pay rules, while private employers set their own terms and self-employed vets’ income depends on their cases. All vets need the same national license, but specialty and night or holiday shifts can mean different work and conditions.
What if you were…
In Japan, age and company size matter mostPick a company size, sex or age to see that group's average here.
How it changes with age
Tap an age to update the number above (Any company size, men and women combined)
How it changes with company size
What does a vet do?
What's a typical day like?
At an animal clinic, a vet listens to an owner, examines an animal, and works out what is wrong before treating it. Farm vets visit barns to check livestock and give advice that helps stop disease.
How to get this job
After high school in Japan, complete a six-year veterinary course at university, pass the national exam, and get licensed; students on this path may qualify around age 24. Clinical vets train with experienced vets; public jobs require a hiring exam.
Did you know?
In Japan, some public veterinarians test honeybees for animal diseases—not just cows, pigs, and chickens.
What about the US?
Same jobJapan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.
Similar jobs
Healthcare and welfare jobsEarn more in the same field
Healthcare and welfare jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (regular workers, by occupation) (e-Stat). Yearly pay = monthly contractual cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus. Averages for regular workers at firms with 10+ employees. Public employees (teachers, police, firefighters) and company executives are not in this survey. e-stat.go.jp
Pages used for the text
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/223
- www.maff.go.jp/j/syouan/tikusui/zyui/index.html
- juishi-miryoku.com/job/job-koumuin
- www.maff.go.jp/j/pr/aff/2109/spe1_02.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY