Veterinarians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,920 | $35.54 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Mean (average) | $142,680 | $68.60 |
| 90th percentile | $215,700 | $103.70 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Veterinarians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $105,630 | $65,430 | $172,290 | 1,020 | 0.89 |
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 160 | 0.9 | ||
| Arizona | $152,020 | $81,990 | $262,990 | 2,080 | 1.19 |
| Arkansas | $107,710 | $38,870 | $153,370 | 540 | 0.77 |
| California | $163,920 | $74,850 | $286,330 | 9,170 | 0.93 |
| Colorado | $130,840 | $77,710 | $211,930 | 2,340 | 1.51 |
| Connecticut | $126,190 | $46,960 | $218,720 | 950 | 1.04 |
| Delaware | Data unavailable | 230 | 0.89 | ||
| District of Columbia | $134,530 | $69,990 | $294,160 | 190 | 0.49 |
| Florida | $131,660 | $62,430 | $209,520 | 5,360 | 1 |
| Georgia | $126,590 | $66,710 | $167,620 | 2,670 | 1.01 |
| Hawaii | $130,120 | $62,460 | $188,130 | 370 | 1.1 |
| Idaho | $116,170 | $43,290 | $168,840 | 540 | 1.18 |
| Illinois | $133,580 | $74,840 | $280,380 | 2,330 | 0.71 |
| Indiana | $124,530 | $63,630 | $173,810 | 1,500 | 0.87 |
| Iowa | $124,610 | $72,800 | $168,950 | 1,000 | 1.19 |
| Kansas | $107,080 | $71,200 | $177,110 | 1,000 | 1.29 |
| Kentucky | $104,100 | $44,200 | $169,220 | 1,190 | 1.1 |
| Louisiana | $124,370 | $64,690 | $165,560 | 950 | 0.91 |
| Maine | $130,600 | $81,780 | $194,680 | 600 | 1.72 |
| Maryland | $163,170 | $104,030 | $214,960 | 1,430 | 0.96 |
| Massachusetts | $140,260 | $96,320 | $260,010 | 1,920 | 0.98 |
| Michigan | $125,390 | $75,900 | $192,800 | 2,030 | 0.86 |
| Minnesota | $133,110 | $83,280 | $217,580 | 2,140 | 1.34 |
| Mississippi | $105,370 | $70,050 | $163,040 | 480 | 0.76 |
| Missouri | $114,660 | $61,270 | $193,860 | 1,920 | 1.21 |
| Montana | $99,390 | $51,390 | $183,190 | 510 | 1.84 |
| Nebraska | $103,500 | $60,630 | $165,660 | 780 | 1.41 |
| Nevada | $125,550 | $98,860 | $189,620 | 680 | 0.82 |
| New Hampshire | $128,190 | $74,780 | $283,460 | 650 | 1.75 |
| New Jersey | $160,140 | $103,720 | $274,850 | 1,910 | 0.82 |
| New Mexico | $129,390 | $79,450 | $212,850 | 460 | 0.99 |
| New York | $131,830 | $89,130 | $251,000 | 3,390 | 0.65 |
| North Carolina | $129,240 | $77,650 | $209,340 | 2,940 | 1.1 |
| North Dakota | $102,180 | $81,420 | $153,720 | 270 | 1.17 |
| Ohio | $125,060 | $54,050 | $207,190 | 3,430 | 1.15 |
| Oklahoma | $98,090 | $51,710 | $208,000 | 1,150 | 1.25 |
| Oregon | $128,880 | $78,420 | $205,850 | 1,660 | 1.57 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,520 | $79,780 | $268,870 | 3,490 | 1.07 |
| Puerto Rico | $89,810 | $58,820 | $157,900 | 180 | 0.35 |
| Rhode Island | $126,570 | $106,730 | $196,300 | 430 | 1.6 |
| South Carolina | $122,130 | $48,140 | $200,860 | 1,380 | 1.11 |
| South Dakota | $88,650 | $61,640 | $128,920 | 280 | 1.13 |
| Tennessee | $124,350 | $98,500 | $167,900 | 1,730 | 0.98 |
| Texas | $131,330 | $76,510 | $203,920 | 6,270 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $123,990 | $75,970 | $215,720 | 640 | 0.69 |
| Vermont | $131,820 | $91,290 | $213,060 | 280 | 1.74 |
| Virginia | $126,730 | $63,350 | $220,170 | 2,700 | 1.22 |
| Washington | $160,510 | $97,140 | $265,600 | 2,390 | 1.25 |
| West Virginia | $128,990 | $54,830 | $201,910 | 390 | 1.03 |
| Wisconsin | $108,780 | $79,350 | $159,940 | 1,830 | 1.15 |
| Wyoming | $97,240 | $55,420 | $149,070 | 140 | 0.91 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for veterinarians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for veterinarians
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Veterinary Medicine CIP 01.8001
- Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General CIP 01.8101
- Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine CIP 01.8102
- Large Animal/Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine CIP 01.8103
- Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine CIP 01.8104
- Veterinary Anatomy CIP 01.8105
- Veterinary Infectious Diseases CIP 01.8106
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology CIP 01.8107
- Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology CIP 01.8108
- Veterinary Physiology CIP 01.8109
- Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health CIP 01.8110
- Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology CIP 01.8111
- Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Other CIP 01.8199
- Veterinary Anesthesiology Residency Program CIP 60.0301
- Veterinary Dentistry Residency Program CIP 60.0302
- Veterinary Dermatology Residency Program CIP 60.0303
- Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Residency Program CIP 60.0304
- Veterinary Internal Medicine Residency Program CIP 60.0305
- Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency Program CIP 60.0306
- Veterinary Microbiology Residency Program CIP 60.0307
- Veterinary Nutrition Residency Program CIP 60.0308
- Veterinary Ophthalmology Residency Program CIP 60.0309
- Veterinary Pathology Residency Program CIP 60.0310
- Veterinary Practice Residency Program CIP 60.0311
- Veterinary Preventive Medicine Residency Program CIP 60.0312
- Veterinary Radiology Residency Program CIP 60.0313
- Veterinary Surgery Residency Program CIP 60.0314
- Theriogenology Residency Program CIP 60.0315
- Veterinary Toxicology Residency Program CIP 60.0316
- Zoological Medicine Residency Program CIP 60.0317
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
- Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- American Data Systems PAWS Veterinary Practice Management
- Complete Clinic
- Eklin Information Systems VIA
- Henry Schein ImproMed
- IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX Cornerstone
- IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX VPM
- ImproMed Infinity
- InformaVet ALIS-VET
- IntraVet
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Companion Animal Practitioner, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Emergency Veterinarian (Emergency Vet), Large Animal Veterinarian (Large Animal Vet), Mixed Animal Veterinarian (Mixed Animal Vet), Small Animal Veterinarian (Small Animal Vet), Veterinary Medicine Doctor (DVM), Veterinary Surgeon (Vet Surgeon), Veterinary Surgical Specialist (Vet Surgical Specialist), Zoo Veterinarian (Zoo Vet).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do veterinarians make?
The national median annual wage for veterinarians was $130,100 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $73,920 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $215,700. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do veterinarians need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is veterinarians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of veterinarians to change +9.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay veterinarians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($163,920), Maryland ($163,170), Washington ($160,510). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.