Average Salary for Veterinarians
SOC 29-1131 · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Veterinarians in the United States is $125,510 ($60.34/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $70,350 at the 10th percentile to $212,890 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 80,630 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 43.3% since 2014.
Median Annual
$125,510
Mean Annual
$140,270
10th Pct
$70,350
75th Pct
$161,610
Employment
80,630
Salary Distribution
$70k
10th
$98k
25th
$126k
Median
$162k
75th
$213k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $187,990 |
| Napa, CA | $179,080 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $175,050 |
| Salinas, CA | $168,330 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $165,060 |
| Anchorage, AK | $164,220 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $163,380 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $162,040 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $161,880 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $161,370 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $159,600 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $159,200 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $159,130 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $158,710 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $158,700 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $158,950 |
| Washington | $155,060 |
| District of Columbia | $153,200 |
| New Jersey | $148,550 |
| West Virginia | $134,290 |
| Vermont | $134,240 |
| Arizona | $132,810 |
| Massachusetts | $131,500 |
| New York | $131,330 |
| Florida | $131,170 |
| Connecticut | $130,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $129,510 |
| New Hampshire | $128,890 |
| Illinois | $128,290 |
| Rhode Island | $126,860 |
| South Carolina | $126,720 |
| New Mexico | $126,710 |
| Tennessee | $125,420 |
| Virginia | $124,110 |
| Maine | $124,070 |
| North Carolina | $123,430 |
| Ohio | $123,140 |
| Colorado | $122,980 |
| Utah | $121,850 |
| Nevada | $121,720 |
| Texas | $121,220 |
| Louisiana | $120,630 |
| Missouri | $119,640 |
| Indiana | $119,230 |
| Minnesota | $117,340 |
| Georgia | $115,220 |
| Michigan | $112,320 |
| Idaho | $106,080 |
| Wisconsin | $104,440 |
| Oregon | $102,910 |
| Hawaii | $102,730 |
| Kansas | $102,510 |
| Mississippi | $101,300 |
| Iowa | $100,910 |
| Arkansas | $100,820 |
| North Dakota | $99,490 |
| Kentucky | $98,210 |
| Alabama | $98,060 |
| Oklahoma | $96,360 |
| Wyoming | $95,400 |
| South Dakota | $89,970 |
| Nebraska | $83,710 |
| Montana | $82,340 |
| Puerto Rico | $76,190 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Veterinarians broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Food Manufacturing | $190,520 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $181,010 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $178,430 |
| Wholesale Trade | $172,130 |
| Manufacturing | $162,380 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $147,460 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $147,460 |
| Employment Services | $147,460 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $145,190 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $145,190 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $143,760 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $143,760 |
| Educational Services | $143,450 |
| Spectator Sports | $143,290 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $143,290 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $140,340 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $140,340 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $140,340 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $140,020 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $138,040 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $138,040 |
| Retail Trade | $138,040 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $134,330 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $133,850 |
| Educational Services | $133,790 |
| Hospitals | $131,310 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $131,310 |
| Other Personal Services | $126,800 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $126,280 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $125,900 |
| Veterinary Services | $125,600 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $125,580 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $125,580 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $125,560 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $124,840 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $124,290 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $124,290 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $112,570 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $112,320 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $111,420 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $111,420 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | $110,190 |
| Support Activities for Animal Production | $110,190 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | $110,190 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $108,750 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $108,240 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $108,240 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $106,620 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $102,870 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $100,740 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $100,740 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $59,990 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $125,510 |
| 2023 | $119,100 |
| 2022 | $103,260 |
| 2021 | $100,370 |
| 2020 | $99,250 |
| 2019 | $95,460 |
| 2018 | $93,830 |
| 2017 | $90,420 |
| 2016 | $88,770 |
| 2015 | $88,490 |
| 2014 | $87,590 |