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How Much Does a Veterinarian Make?

A veterinarian in the US earns a median salary of $130,100 a year, or $62.55 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $142,680, and the middle half earn between $101,460 and $166,120.

Median a year $130,100
Median an hour $62.55
Median a month $10,842
Average a year $142,680

Veterinarian pay range

What veterinarians earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $73,920 $35.54
25th $101,460 $48.78
Median (50th) $130,100 $62.55
75th $166,120 $79.87
90th (top 10%) $215,700 $103.70

The median is 155% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 83,900 people work as veterinarians in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,502
Every two weeks
$5,004
Twice a month
$5,421
A month
$10,842

At the median salary, before tax.

Veterinarian salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Arizona pays veterinarians the most, at $187,410 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Arizona $187,410 $152,020 2,080 After tax
California $169,860 $163,920 9,170 After tax
New Jersey $166,170 $160,140 1,910 After tax
Maryland $163,830 $163,170 1,430 After tax
Washington $163,010 $160,510 2,390 After tax
District of Columbia $160,520 $134,530 190 After tax
Massachusetts $157,520 $140,260 1,920 After tax
Pennsylvania $154,440 $133,520 3,490 After tax
Illinois $153,810 $133,580 2,330 After tax
New York $151,530 $131,830 3,390 After tax
Minnesota $146,230 $133,110 2,140 After tax
Vermont $145,030 $131,820 280 After tax
New Hampshire $144,960 $128,190 650 After tax
Virginia $143,080 $126,730 2,700 After tax
Nevada $140,600 $125,550 680 After tax
Utah $139,770 $123,990 640 After tax
Florida $139,760 $131,660 5,360 After tax
Connecticut $139,290 $126,190 950 After tax
New Mexico $138,880 $129,390 460 After tax
Texas $138,150 $131,330 6,270 After tax
Colorado $137,190 $130,840 2,340 After tax
Maine $136,620 $130,600 600 After tax
North Carolina $136,200 $129,240 2,940 After tax
Rhode Island $133,850 $126,570 430 After tax
Oregon $133,560 $128,880 1,660 After tax
Ohio $129,890 $125,060 3,430 After tax
Tennessee $129,660 $124,350 1,730 After tax
Hawaii $128,820 $130,120 370 After tax
Michigan $128,100 $125,390 2,030 After tax
Georgia $127,920 $126,590 2,670 After tax
West Virginia $127,520 $128,990 390 After tax
Indiana $127,060 $124,530 1,500 After tax
South Carolina $126,280 $122,130 1,380 After tax
Missouri $125,720 $114,660 1,920 After tax
Louisiana $125,270 $124,370 950 After tax
Oklahoma $123,820 $98,090 1,150 After tax
Nebraska $123,810 $103,500 780 After tax
Iowa $122,200 $124,610 1,000 After tax
Alabama $120,170 $105,630 1,020 After tax
Wisconsin $118,890 $108,780 1,830 After tax
Idaho $118,000 $116,170 540 After tax
Kansas $117,620 $107,080 1,000 After tax
Mississippi $114,370 $105,370 480 After tax
Kentucky $112,730 $104,100 1,190 After tax
Montana $112,730 $99,390 510 After tax
North Dakota $108,300 $102,180 270 After tax
Arkansas $108,100 $107,710 540 After tax
Wyoming $105,200 $97,240 140 After tax
Puerto Rico $98,210 $89,810 180
South Dakota $93,990 $88,650 280 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Veterinarians” (SOC 29-1131). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a veterinarian make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a veterinarian is $62.55, and the average is $68.60. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35.54 an hour and the top 10% over $103.70.

How much does a veterinarian make a month?

At the median salary of $130,100, a veterinarian earns about $10,842 a month before tax, or $5,004 every two weeks.

Which state pays veterinarians the most?

Arizona has the highest average pay for a veterinarian, at $187,410 a year. Next are California and New Jersey. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a veterinarian?

The lowest-paid 10% of veterinarians earn less than $73,920 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $101,460. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid veterinarians make?

The top 10% earn more than $215,700 a year, and the top 25% more than $166,120.