29 Series · SOC 29-1131
Veterinarians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $130,100
- Median / year
- $215,700
- Top 10% earn
- +9.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 83,900
- US workers
Veterinarians earn a median of $130,100 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $130,100, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $73,920 (10th percentile) to $215,700 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 83,900 US workers. California pays the most ($163,920), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Veterinarians earn a median of $130,100, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 93% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #31 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 9.6% by 2033.
- $130,100
- Median annual wage
- Top 7%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #31 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 2.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $163,920. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) pays a national median of $130,100 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $73,920 at the 10th percentile to $215,700 at the 90th, with a mean of $142,680 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 83,900 Americans work in this occupation across 50 reporting states and 404 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +9.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $163,920, which is +26% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $208,080 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
BLS OEWS May 2025 83,900 jobs Median $130,100/yr
Median Salary
$130,100
per year
Median Hourly
$62.55/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$142,680
average
Employment
83,900
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Veterinarians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$130,100 Top 7% higher than 93% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Veterinarians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Veterinarians sits on the faster-growing side at +9.6% growth and $130,100 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+9.6%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
3,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Veterinarians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Reading Comprehension 4.1
Active Listening 4.1
Active Learning 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Science 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Writing 3.5
Service Orientation 3.4
Knowledge Areas
Biology 4.7
Medicine and Dentistry 4.7
Customer and Personal Service 4.5
English Language 4.3
Mathematics 3.7
Education and Training 3.5
Chemistry 3.4
Personnel and Human Resources 3.3
Administration and Management 3.3
Psychology 3.1
Key Tasks
- ▸ Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- ▸ Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- ▸ Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- ▸ Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- ▸ Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- ▸ Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- ▸ Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
- ▸ Specialize in a particular type of treatment, such as dentistry, pathology, nutrition, surgery, microbiology, or internal medicine.
- ▸ Direct the overall operations of animal hospitals, clinics, or mobile services to farms.
- ▸ Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$73,920
25th Percentile
$101,460
Median
$130,100
75th Percentile
$166,120
90th Percentile
$215,700
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 50 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $163,920 | +26% above national |
| 2 | Maryland | $163,170 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $160,510 | +23% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $160,140 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Arizona | $152,020 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $140,260 | +8% above national |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $134,530 | +3% above national |
| 8 | Illinois | $133,580 | +3% above national |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $133,520 | +3% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $133,110 | +2% above national |
| 11 | New York | $131,830 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $131,820 | +1% above national |
| 13 | Florida | $131,660 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Texas | $131,330 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Colorado | $130,840 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Maine | $130,600 | same as national |
| 17 | Hawaii | $130,120 | same as national |
| 18 | New Mexico | $129,390 | 1% below national |
| 19 | North Carolina | $129,240 | 1% below national |
| 20 | West Virginia | $128,990 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Oregon | $128,880 | 1% below national |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $128,190 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Virginia | $126,730 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Georgia | $126,590 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $126,570 | 3% below national |
| 26 | Connecticut | $126,190 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Nevada | $125,550 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Michigan | $125,390 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Ohio | $125,060 | 4% below national |
| 30 | Iowa | $124,610 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Indiana | $124,530 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Louisiana | $124,370 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Tennessee | $124,350 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Utah | $123,990 | 5% below national |
| 35 | South Carolina | $122,130 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Idaho | $116,170 | 11% below national |
| 37 | Missouri | $114,660 | 12% below national |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $108,780 | 16% below national |
| 39 | Arkansas | $107,710 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Kansas | $107,080 | 18% below national |
| 41 | Alabama | $105,630 | 19% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $105,370 | 19% below national |
| 43 | Kentucky | $104,100 | 20% below national |
| 44 | Nebraska | $103,500 | 20% below national |
| 45 | North Dakota | $102,180 | 21% below national |
| 46 | Montana | $99,390 | 24% below national |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $98,090 | 25% below national |
| 48 | Wyoming | $97,240 | 25% below national |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $89,810 | 31% below national |
| 50 | South Dakota | $88,650 | 32% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 404 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $208,080 | +60% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $192,160 | +48% above national |
| 3 | Napa, CA | $172,600 | +33% above national |
| 4 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $165,260 | +27% above national |
| 5 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $164,820 | +27% above national |
| 6 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $164,620 | +27% above national |
| 7 | Barnstable Town, MA | $164,060 | +26% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $163,810 | +26% above national |
| 9 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $163,630 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $163,520 | +26% above national |
| 11 | Salinas, CA | $163,080 | +25% above national |
| 12 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $162,930 | +25% above national |
| 13 | Modesto, CA | $162,160 | +25% above national |
| 14 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $161,410 | +24% above national |
| 15 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $161,060 | +24% above national |
| 16 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $160,860 | +24% above national |
| 17 | Chico, CA | $160,180 | +23% above national |
| 18 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $160,080 | +23% above national |
| 19 | Lexington Park, MD | $159,990 | +23% above national |
| 20 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $159,750 | +23% above national |
| 21 | Redding, CA | $159,010 | +22% above national |
| 22 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $158,880 | +22% above national |
| 23 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $158,840 | +22% above national |
| 24 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $158,810 | +22% above national |
| 25 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $158,770 | +22% above national |
| 26 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $158,600 | +22% above national |
| 27 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $158,200 | +22% above national |
| 28 | Yakima, WA | $158,180 | +22% above national |
| 29 | Vallejo, CA | $157,710 | +21% above national |
| 30 | Fresno, CA | $157,460 | +21% above national |
| 31 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $156,980 | +21% above national |
| 32 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $156,150 | +20% above national |
| 33 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $154,890 | +19% above national |
| 34 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $154,350 | +19% above national |
| 35 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $152,020 | +17% above national |
| 36 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $151,990 | +17% above national |
| 37 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $151,820 | +17% above national |
| 38 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $150,780 | +16% above national |
| 39 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $150,520 | +16% above national |
| 40 | Bellingham, WA | $149,760 | +15% above national |
| 41 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $148,730 | +14% above national |
| 42 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $146,960 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $146,590 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $144,020 | +11% above national |
| 45 | Tallahassee, FL | $140,830 | +8% above national |
| 46 | Albuquerque, NM | $140,200 | +8% above national |
| 47 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $139,810 | +7% above national |
| 48 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $138,900 | +7% above national |
| 49 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $138,360 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $137,010 | +5% above national |
| 51 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $136,840 | +5% above national |
| 52 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $136,480 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Peoria, IL | $135,860 | +4% above national |
| 54 | Kingston, NY | $135,760 | +4% above national |
| 55 | Medford, OR | $135,740 | +4% above national |
| 56 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $135,090 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Mankato, MN | $134,110 | +3% above national |
| 58 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $134,030 | +3% above national |
| 59 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $133,950 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $133,850 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Jacksonville, FL | $133,810 | +3% above national |
| 62 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $133,550 | +3% above national |
| 63 | Visalia, CA | $133,370 | +3% above national |
| 64 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $133,250 | +2% above national |
| 65 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $133,120 | +2% above national |
| 66 | Reading, PA | $133,110 | +2% above national |
| 67 | Morgantown, WV | $132,990 | +2% above national |
| 68 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $132,750 | +2% above national |
| 69 | Rockford, IL | $132,720 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $132,690 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $132,500 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Lancaster, PA | $132,480 | +2% above national |
| 73 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $132,440 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $132,280 | +2% above national |
| 75 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $132,030 | +1% above national |
| 76 | Boulder, CO | $132,020 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $131,930 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Ithaca, NY | $131,870 | +1% above national |
| 79 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $131,820 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $131,780 | +1% above national |
| 81 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $131,720 | +1% above national |
| 82 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $131,680 | +1% above national |
| 83 | Wilmington, NC | $131,670 | +1% above national |
| 84 | Tucson, AZ | $131,540 | +1% above national |
| 85 | State College, PA | $131,500 | +1% above national |
| 86 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $131,190 | +1% above national |
| 87 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $130,990 | +1% above national |
| 88 | Worcester, MA | $130,950 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $130,900 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $130,830 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $130,740 | same as national |
| 92 | Gettysburg, PA | $130,410 | same as national |
| 93 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $130,380 | same as national |
| 94 | Akron, OH | $130,370 | same as national |
| 95 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $130,350 | same as national |
| 96 | Asheville, NC | $130,330 | same as national |
| 97 | Salem, OR | $130,330 | same as national |
| 98 | Rochester, MN | $130,000 | same as national |
| 99 | Columbia, SC | $129,960 | same as national |
| 100 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $129,940 | same as national |
| 101 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $129,910 | same as national |
| 102 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $129,890 | same as national |
| 103 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $129,810 | same as national |
| 104 | Burlington, NC | $129,800 | same as national |
| 105 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $129,800 | same as national |
| 106 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $129,730 | same as national |
| 107 | York-Hanover, PA | $129,610 | same as national |
| 108 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $129,550 | same as national |
| 109 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $129,440 | 1% below national |
| 110 | Ocala, FL | $129,410 | 1% below national |
| 111 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $129,390 | 1% below national |
| 112 | Santa Fe, NM | $129,380 | 1% below national |
| 113 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $129,080 | 1% below national |
| 114 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $129,030 | 1% below national |
| 115 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $128,990 | 1% below national |
| 116 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $128,980 | 1% below national |
| 117 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $128,940 | 1% below national |
| 118 | Springfield, MA | $128,750 | 1% below national |
| 119 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $128,630 | 1% below national |
| 120 | Cleveland, OH | $128,610 | 1% below national |
| 121 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $128,550 | 1% below national |
| 122 | Winston-Salem, NC | $128,530 | 1% below national |
| 123 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $128,500 | 1% below national |
| 124 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $128,360 | 1% below national |
| 125 | Pittsburgh, PA | $128,290 | 1% below national |
| 126 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $128,260 | 1% below national |
| 127 | Greenville, NC | $128,250 | 1% below national |
| 128 | Fayetteville, NC | $128,190 | 1% below national |
| 129 | Iowa City, IA | $128,180 | 1% below national |
| 130 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $128,050 | 2% below national |
| 131 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $127,990 | 2% below national |
| 132 | Pittsfield, MA | $127,910 | 2% below national |
| 133 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $127,850 | 2% below national |
| 134 | Bangor, ME | $127,730 | 2% below national |
| 135 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $127,730 | 2% below national |
| 136 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $127,670 | 2% below national |
| 137 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $127,650 | 2% below national |
| 138 | Rochester, NY | $127,580 | 2% below national |
| 139 | New Haven, CT | $127,570 | 2% below national |
| 140 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $127,500 | 2% below national |
| 141 | Charlottesville, VA | $127,460 | 2% below national |
| 142 | Boise City, ID | $127,410 | 2% below national |
| 143 | Ann Arbor, MI | $127,270 | 2% below national |
| 144 | Idaho Falls, ID | $127,240 | 2% below national |
| 145 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $127,230 | 2% below national |
| 146 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $127,160 | 2% below national |
| 147 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $127,160 | 2% below national |
| 148 | Toledo, OH | $126,970 | 2% below national |
| 149 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $126,960 | 2% below national |
| 150 | Baton Rouge, LA | $126,890 | 2% below national |
| 151 | Colorado Springs, CO | $126,790 | 3% below national |
| 152 | Greeley, CO | $126,730 | 3% below national |
| 153 | Duluth, MN-WI | $126,650 | 3% below national |
| 154 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $126,550 | 3% below national |
| 155 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $126,500 | 3% below national |
| 156 | Lubbock, TX | $126,420 | 3% below national |
| 157 | Utica-Rome, NY | $126,320 | 3% below national |
| 158 | Binghamton, NY | $126,230 | 3% below national |
| 159 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $126,230 | 3% below national |
| 160 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $126,190 | 3% below national |
| 161 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $126,180 | 3% below national |
| 162 | Corpus Christi, TX | $126,140 | 3% below national |
| 163 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $126,140 | 3% below national |
| 164 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $126,030 | 3% below national |
| 165 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $125,860 | 3% below national |
| 166 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $125,790 | 3% below national |
| 167 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $125,750 | 3% below national |
| 168 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $125,660 | 3% below national |
| 169 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $125,640 | 3% below national |
| 170 | Reno, NV | $125,530 | 4% below national |
| 171 | Bloomington, IN | $125,480 | 4% below national |
| 172 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $125,410 | 4% below national |
| 173 | Chambersburg, PA | $125,400 | 4% below national |
| 174 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $125,360 | 4% below national |
| 175 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $125,310 | 4% below national |
| 176 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $125,180 | 4% below national |
| 177 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $125,150 | 4% below national |
| 178 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $125,130 | 4% below national |
| 179 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $124,990 | 4% below national |
| 180 | Fort Wayne, IN | $124,970 | 4% below national |
| 181 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $124,970 | 4% below national |
| 182 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $124,970 | 4% below national |
| 183 | Flint, MI | $124,930 | 4% below national |
| 184 | Anchorage, AK | $124,810 | 4% below national |
| 185 | Longview, TX | $124,730 | 4% below national |
| 186 | Las Cruces, NM | $124,640 | 4% below national |
| 187 | Evansville, IN | $124,590 | 4% below national |
| 188 | Rome, GA | $124,530 | 4% below national |
| 189 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $124,470 | 4% below national |
| 190 | Lafayette, LA | $124,470 | 4% below national |
| 191 | Syracuse, NY | $124,400 | 4% below national |
| 192 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $124,360 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Traverse City, MI | $124,330 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $124,190 | 5% below national |
| 195 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $124,160 | 5% below national |
| 196 | Amarillo, TX | $124,020 | 5% below national |
| 197 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $123,920 | 5% below national |
| 198 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $123,910 | 5% below national |
| 199 | Erie, PA | $123,670 | 5% below national |
| 200 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $123,570 | 5% below national |
| 201 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $123,520 | 5% below national |
| 202 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $123,390 | 5% below national |
| 203 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $123,330 | 5% below national |
| 204 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $123,320 | 5% below national |
| 205 | Columbus, OH | $123,270 | 5% below national |
| 206 | El Paso, TX | $123,250 | 5% below national |
| 207 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $123,220 | 5% below national |
| 208 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $122,970 | 5% below national |
| 209 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $122,940 | 6% below national |
| 210 | Waco, TX | $122,920 | 6% below national |
| 211 | Abilene, TX | $122,820 | 6% below national |
| 212 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $122,760 | 6% below national |
| 213 | Ogden, UT | $122,740 | 6% below national |
| 214 | Johnson City, TN | $122,580 | 6% below national |
| 215 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $122,510 | 6% below national |
| 216 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $122,490 | 6% below national |
| 217 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $122,460 | 6% below national |
| 218 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $122,400 | 6% below national |
| 219 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $122,390 | 6% below national |
| 220 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $122,320 | 6% below national |
| 221 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $122,300 | 6% below national |
| 222 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $122,230 | 6% below national |
| 223 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $122,130 | 6% below national |
| 224 | Gainesville, GA | $122,040 | 6% below national |
| 225 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $122,010 | 6% below national |
| 226 | Roanoke, VA | $121,940 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Albany, GA | $121,900 | 6% below national |
| 228 | Richmond, VA | $121,670 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $121,670 | 6% below national |
| 230 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $121,590 | 7% below national |
| 231 | Spartanburg, SC | $121,420 | 7% below national |
| 232 | St. Cloud, MN | $121,400 | 7% below national |
| 233 | Knoxville, TN | $121,160 | 7% below national |
| 234 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $121,000 | 7% below national |
| 235 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $120,940 | 7% below national |
| 236 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $120,860 | 7% below national |
| 237 | Tyler, TX | $120,850 | 7% below national |
| 238 | Jacksonville, NC | $120,430 | 7% below national |
| 239 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $120,290 | 8% below national |
| 240 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $120,290 | 8% below national |
| 241 | Saginaw, MI | $120,140 | 8% below national |
| 242 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $120,110 | 8% below national |
| 243 | Harrisonburg, VA | $119,990 | 8% below national |
| 244 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $119,990 | 8% below national |
| 245 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $119,930 | 8% below national |
| 246 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $119,320 | 8% below national |
| 247 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $119,310 | 8% below national |
| 248 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $119,040 | 9% below national |
| 249 | Bend, OR | $119,020 | 9% below national |
| 250 | Corvallis, OR | $119,020 | 9% below national |
| 251 | Winchester, VA-WV | $118,830 | 9% below national |
| 252 | Punta Gorda, FL | $118,600 | 9% below national |
| 253 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $118,600 | 9% below national |
| 254 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $118,460 | 9% below national |
| 255 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $118,290 | 9% below national |
| 256 | Ames, IA | $118,240 | 9% below national |
| 257 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $117,990 | 9% below national |
| 258 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $117,780 | 9% below national |
| 259 | Grand Junction, CO | $117,520 | 10% below national |
| 260 | Monroe, LA | $117,400 | 10% below national |
| 261 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $117,340 | 10% below national |
| 262 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $116,990 | 10% below national |
| 263 | Savannah, GA | $116,480 | 10% below national |
| 264 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $116,170 | 11% below national |
| 265 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $115,630 | 11% below national |
| 266 | Gainesville, FL | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 267 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 268 | Lake Charles, LA | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 269 | Madison, WI | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 270 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 271 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $115,210 | 11% below national |
| 272 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $115,100 | 12% below national |
| 273 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $115,000 | 12% below national |
| 274 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $114,950 | 12% below national |
| 275 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $113,900 | 12% below national |
| 276 | Springfield, IL | $113,890 | 12% below national |
| 277 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $113,080 | 13% below national |
| 278 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $112,450 | 14% below national |
| 279 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $112,260 | 14% below national |
| 280 | Huntsville, AL | $112,230 | 14% below national |
| 281 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $112,170 | 14% below national |
| 282 | Charleston, WV | $112,140 | 14% below national |
| 283 | Hammond, LA | $112,140 | 14% below national |
| 284 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $111,400 | 14% below national |
| 285 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $111,400 | 14% below national |
| 286 | Kenosha, WI | $110,990 | 15% below national |
| 287 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $110,590 | 15% below national |
| 288 | Eau Claire, WI | $110,120 | 15% below national |
| 289 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $109,310 | 16% below national |
| 290 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $109,060 | 16% below national |
| 291 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $109,050 | 16% below national |
| 292 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $108,910 | 16% below national |
| 293 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $108,530 | 17% below national |
| 294 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $108,470 | 17% below national |
| 295 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $108,400 | 17% below national |
| 296 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $108,390 | 17% below national |
| 297 | Warner Robins, GA | $108,370 | 17% below national |
| 298 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $108,110 | 17% below national |
| 299 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $108,000 | 17% below national |
| 300 | Topeka, KS | $107,990 | 17% below national |
| 301 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $107,990 | 17% below national |
| 302 | Lynchburg, VA | $107,870 | 17% below national |
| 303 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $107,810 | 17% below national |
| 304 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $107,700 | 17% below national |
| 305 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $107,580 | 17% below national |
| 306 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $107,520 | 17% below national |
| 307 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $107,330 | 18% below national |
| 308 | Omaha, NE-IA | $107,280 | 18% below national |
| 309 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $107,170 | 18% below national |
| 310 | Morristown, TN | $106,950 | 18% below national |
| 311 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $106,910 | 18% below national |
| 312 | Birmingham, AL | $106,890 | 18% below national |
| 313 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $106,840 | 18% below national |
| 314 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $106,770 | 18% below national |
| 315 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $106,520 | 18% below national |
| 316 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $106,330 | 18% below national |
| 317 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $105,980 | 19% below national |
| 318 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $105,940 | 19% below national |
| 319 | Appleton, WI | $105,800 | 19% below national |
| 320 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $105,590 | 19% below national |
| 321 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $105,410 | 19% below national |
| 322 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $105,380 | 19% below national |
| 323 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $105,300 | 19% below national |
| 324 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $105,230 | 19% below national |
| 325 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $105,090 | 19% below national |
| 326 | Wichita, KS | $104,930 | 19% below national |
| 327 | Green Bay, WI | $104,850 | 19% below national |
| 328 | Hattiesburg, MS | $104,630 | 20% below national |
| 329 | Alexandria, LA | $104,580 | 20% below national |
| 330 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $104,450 | 20% below national |
| 331 | Jackson, MS | $104,390 | 20% below national |
| 332 | Lincoln, NE | $104,330 | 20% below national |
| 333 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $104,240 | 20% below national |
| 334 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $104,190 | 20% below national |
| 335 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $104,110 | 20% below national |
| 336 | Bismarck, ND | $104,000 | 20% below national |
| 337 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $103,500 | 20% below national |
| 338 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $103,490 | 20% below national |
| 339 | Logan, UT-ID | $103,490 | 20% below national |
| 340 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $103,490 | 20% below national |
| 341 | Missoula, MT | $103,380 | 21% below national |
| 342 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $103,270 | 21% below national |
| 343 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $103,200 | 21% below national |
| 344 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $103,060 | 21% below national |
| 345 | Grand Island, NE | $103,050 | 21% below national |
| 346 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $102,950 | 21% below national |
| 347 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $102,950 | 21% below national |
| 348 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $102,900 | 21% below national |
| 349 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $102,850 | 21% below national |
| 350 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $102,830 | 21% below national |
| 351 | Springfield, MO | $102,740 | 21% below national |
| 352 | Joplin, MO-KS | $102,700 | 21% below national |
| 353 | Montgomery, AL | $102,700 | 21% below national |
| 354 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $102,700 | 21% below national |
| 355 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $102,180 | 21% below national |
| 356 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $102,170 | 21% below national |
| 357 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $101,990 | 22% below national |
| 358 | Wausau, WI | $101,540 | 22% below national |
| 359 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $101,500 | 22% below national |
| 360 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $101,440 | 22% below national |
| 361 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $101,360 | 22% below national |
| 362 | Fargo, ND-MN | $101,280 | 22% below national |
| 363 | Jefferson City, MO | $101,230 | 22% below national |
| 364 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $101,100 | 22% below national |
| 365 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $101,060 | 22% below national |
| 366 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $100,990 | 22% below national |
| 367 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $100,950 | 22% below national |
| 368 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $100,640 | 23% below national |
| 369 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $100,360 | 23% below national |
| 370 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $99,930 | 23% below national |
| 371 | Columbus, GA-AL | $99,840 | 23% below national |
| 372 | Columbia, MO | $99,620 | 23% below national |
| 373 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $99,020 | 24% below national |
| 374 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $98,990 | 24% below national |
| 375 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $98,920 | 24% below national |
| 376 | Oklahoma City, OK | $98,750 | 24% below national |
| 377 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $98,530 | 24% below national |
| 378 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $98,410 | 24% below national |
| 379 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $98,320 | 24% below national |
| 380 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $98,250 | 24% below national |
| 381 | Tulsa, OK | $98,240 | 24% below national |
| 382 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $98,120 | 25% below national |
| 383 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $97,960 | 25% below national |
| 384 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $97,500 | 25% below national |
| 385 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $97,470 | 25% below national |
| 386 | Bozeman, MT | $97,430 | 25% below national |
| 387 | Bowling Green, KY | $97,260 | 25% below national |
| 388 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $96,220 | 26% below national |
| 389 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $95,760 | 26% below national |
| 390 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $94,810 | 27% below national |
| 391 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $93,590 | 28% below national |
| 392 | Billings, MT | $93,140 | 28% below national |
| 393 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $92,840 | 29% below national |
| 394 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $91,910 | 29% below national |
| 395 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $91,170 | 30% below national |
| 396 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $90,620 | 30% below national |
| 397 | Rapid City, SD | $90,410 | 31% below national |
| 398 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $87,700 | 33% below national |
| 399 | Manhattan, KS | $81,310 | 38% below national |
| 400 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $80,860 | 38% below national |
| 401 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $80,000 | 39% below national |
| 402 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $77,960 | 40% below national |
| 403 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $73,590 | 43% below national |
| 404 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $62,360 | 52% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Veterinarians make? ▼
The median annual salary for Veterinarians is $130,100 ($62.55/hour). The salary range spans from $73,920 at the 10th percentile to $215,700 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Veterinarians the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Veterinarians at $163,920/year, which is +26% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Veterinarians? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Veterinarians is Doctoral or professional degree.
How dangerous is being a Veterinarians? ▼
Veterinarians has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1.5 per 100 workers.
Is Veterinarians a good career? ▼
Employment for Veterinarians is projected to grow 9.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 3,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Veterinarians pay vary by state? ▼
Veterinarians salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $163,920/year, while Montana pays the least at $99,390/year. BLS data covers 50 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Veterinarians? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Veterinarians is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $208,080/year. BLS reports wage data for 404 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Veterinarians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $166,120/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $163,920/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.