Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$73,920
- 25th Percentile — Junior$101,460
- 50th Percentile — Median$130,100
- 75th Percentile — Senior$166,120
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$215,700
The top 10% of Veterinarians earn $215,700 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $73,920, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska (est.) | $188,338 | +32.0% |
| Arizona | $187,410 | +31.3% |
| California | $169,860 | +19.0% |
| New Jersey | $166,170 | +16.5% |
| Maryland | $163,830 | +14.8% |
| Washington | $163,010 | +14.2% |
| District of Columbia | $160,520 | +12.5% |
| Massachusetts | $157,520 | +10.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $154,440 | +8.2% |
| Illinois | $153,810 | +7.8% |
| New York | $151,530 | +6.2% |
| Delaware (est.) | $149,814 | +5.0% |
| Minnesota | $146,230 | +2.5% |
| Vermont | $145,030 | +1.6% |
| New Hampshire | $144,960 | +1.6% |
| Virginia | $143,080 | +0.3% |
| Nevada | $140,600 | -1.5% |
| Utah | $139,770 | -2.0% |
| Florida | $139,760 | -2.0% |
| Connecticut | $139,290 | -2.4% |
| New Mexico | $138,880 | -2.7% |
| Texas | $138,150 | -3.2% |
| Colorado | $137,190 | -3.8% |
| Maine | $136,620 | -4.2% |
| North Carolina | $136,200 | -4.5% |
| Rhode Island | $133,850 | -6.2% |
| Oregon | $133,560 | -6.4% |
| Ohio | $129,890 | -9.0% |
| Tennessee | $129,660 | -9.1% |
| Hawaii | $128,820 | -9.7% |
| Michigan | $128,100 | -10.2% |
| Georgia | $127,920 | -10.3% |
| West Virginia | $127,520 | -10.6% |
| Indiana | $127,060 | -10.9% |
| South Carolina | $126,280 | -11.5% |
| Missouri | $125,720 | -11.9% |
| Louisiana | $125,270 | -12.2% |
| Oklahoma | $123,820 | -13.2% |
| Nebraska | $123,810 | -13.2% |
| Iowa | $122,200 | -14.4% |
| Alabama | $120,170 | -15.8% |
| Wisconsin | $118,890 | -16.7% |
| Idaho | $118,000 | -17.3% |
| Kansas | $117,620 | -17.6% |
| Mississippi | $114,370 | -19.8% |
| Kentucky | $112,730 | -21.0% |
| Montana | $112,730 | -21.0% |
| North Dakota | $108,300 | -24.1% |
| Arkansas | $108,100 | -24.2% |
| Wyoming | $105,200 | -26.3% |
| South Dakota | $93,990 | -34.1% |
What Factors Affect Veterinarians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Veterinarians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Arizona pays an average of $187,410, while South Dakota pays $93,990 — a gap of $93,420 per year.
The middle half of Veterinarians earn between $101,460 and $166,120 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $73,920, while the top 10% earn more than $215,700.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Veterinarians?
The average salary for Veterinarians in the United States is $142,680 per year, with a median of $130,100.
What is the starting salary for Veterinarians?
Entry-level Veterinarians typically earn between $73,920 and $101,460 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Veterinarians the most?
Arizona pays Veterinarians the most at $187,410 per year on average, followed by California ($169,860) and New Jersey ($166,170).
How much do Veterinarians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $142,680, Veterinarians earn approximately $68.6 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Veterinarians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 83,900 Veterinarians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $142,680 and a median of $130,100 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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