Take time to learn financial skills (along with surgical skills) during veterinary school—because the financial decisions you make today will affect your financial health and life satisfaction in the future.
Managing student debt can feel overwhelming and even a little scary. All you need to know about student loans starts here!
Financial assistance and student loans come in many shapes and sizes. Here’s a guide to help determine what's right for you!
On March 26, 2025, after a temporary pause, the U.S. Department of Education once again made the online application form available for eligible borrowers to apply for the Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) plans for federal loan repayment. The online loan consolidation application also was reposted. The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan remains on hold, and borrowers enrolled in SAVE are in a general forbearance unless otherwise notified. For more information on the available income-driven plans and the implications of the SAVE forbearance, see the announcement and FAQs on the Federal Student Aid website.
The AVMA is engaging with lawmakers in Washington and working with student debt experts to prepare materials to help veterinary students and veterinarians navigate the evolving federal student loan landscape. Meanwhile, borrowers who are already enrolled in income-driven plans, including those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), are advised to document and retain all information related to their student loans, including repayment history.
Knowledge is power and checking in is a good thing. Start with the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid site. You can view your personal loan information, get live chat help, and see the latest updates.
The VIN Foundation Student Loan Simulator helps you choose or update the repayment plan that best aligns with your goals. Run "what if" scenarios to see how repayment works and how life choices you make in the coming years can impact your plan.
The AVMA Veterinary Salary Estimator for Current Students can provide you with approximate salary ranges to use as a guide for pay negotiations, budgeting and financial planning.
Chances are, you'd like an idea what you might earn once you graduate. Our Veterinary Salary Estimator lets you easily explore different scenarios. Use it to help inform the decisions you'll need to make—like how and where you want to practice, or if continuing your education is an option.
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is one of the many organizations committed to offset the costs of veterinary medical education. In addition to providing scholarships to veterinary students, it also helps connect you to other opportunities.
Check out this list of veterinary student scholarships and grants. There are varying criteria including academic excellence, leadership and financial need. You may be eligible to apply for one or more—take a look!
Track your expenses, invest in your future and get on the road to financial health.
Prepare to start your veterinary career on the right foot with these three important financial tips.
The best expense tracker is the one that you're most likely to use consistently. Explore some of the most popular app options here.
Don’t overlook your financial wellbeing. Check out veterinarian and attorney Dr. Lance Roasa’s 20-minute video to learn ways to improve your financial know-how.
Understanding the basics of running a business can help you in many ways, even if you don’t want to become a practice owner. Get started with this 20-minute video.
Where can I afford to live? Does it make sense for me to lease or buy a car? How quickly can I pay off my credit cards? Check out these tools to organize your finance plan to meet your goals.
This veterinary-specific tool helps you build a personalized profile of your finances so you can evaluate potential salaries, expenses, loans and savings strategies.
Use this calculator to determine how long it will take to pay off your credit card debt.
Finances play an important role in determining whether a job is the right fit for you. AVMA's JobFIT tool shows cost-of-living, median household income, and housing cost data side-by-side with job offerings to help give you the full picture.
It's never too early to start thinking about insurance options! The AVMA family has you covered no matter what career stage you're in.
As a SAVMA member you have access to Student Liability Insurance at no cost as well as insurance for renters, home, and personal autos. Make sure you're covered, and explore everything PLIT has to offer. Visit student liability and personal insurance for more information.
SAVMA members are eligible for a no-cost $25,000 life insurance policy. To ensure comprehensive life and disability coverage as you graduate, the Graduate Guarantee provides essential coverages to all new graduates without any underwriting! Learn more about these coverages.