ATO benchmarks for veterinary clinics
Veterinary clinics earn from consultations, surgery, vaccinations, hospital care and the sale of medicines, pet food and products, while vet and nursing staff, drugs and equipment are their main costs.
General information
Total expenses as a share of turnover
Low and high end of each published range
| Turnover range | Financial year | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 to $300,000 | 2023-24 | 44% | 67% |
| $100,000 to $300,000 | 2022-23 | 43% | 65% |
| $300,001 to $800,000 | 2023-24 | 55% | 77% |
| $300,001 to $800,000 | 2022-23 | 56% | 78% |
| More than $800,000 | 2023-24 | 74% | 84% |
| More than $800,000 | 2022-23 | 74% | 84% |
Australian Taxation Office, Small Business Benchmarks, key ratios for 2023-24 and 2022-23 (data.gov.au), licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
What sits behind these figures in the books
- The main day-to-day expenses are vet and nursing staff costs, medicines and surgical consumables, pathology and lab fees, clinic rent, equipment servicing and insurance.
- Medicine and consumable bills from veterinary wholesalers are entered as they arrive and checked against deliveries, so the practice records what it actually received and used.
- X-ray machines, anaesthetic machines and ultrasound units are recorded as equipment rather than running costs, so a large purchase stays out of a single period's expenses.
Sources
- Small Business Benchmarks, 2023-24 Benchmarks (key ratios)
Australian Taxation Office. 2023-24 financial year, released 16 March 2026. Checked 15 October 2026.
Based on Australian Taxation Office data, Small Business Benchmarks, 2023-24 Benchmarks, licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU Licence: CC BY 2.5 AU.
- Small Business Benchmarks, 2022-23 Benchmarks (key ratios)
Australian Taxation Office. 2022-23 financial year, released 17 March 2025. Checked 15 October 2026.
Based on Australian Taxation Office data, Small Business Benchmarks, 2022-23 Benchmarks, licensed under CC BY 2.5 AU Licence: CC BY 2.5 AU.
Get your books in order
Cost of sales and total expenses are only as reliable as the books behind them. Tell us how your business runs and we will suggest a bookkeeping plan that fits.