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Updated November 2026

Veterinarian salary
by state.

Real government wage data for every state and major metro, plus anonymous salaries shared by veterinarians.

US median
$130,100
$62.55/hr
Highest
$163,920
California
Above US
17
states

Median salary · tap a state

AKALARAZCACOFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENMNVNYOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWIWVWYVTNHMARICTNJDEMDDC
Median salary$89k–$107k$107k–$125k$125k–$129k$129k–$133k$133k–$164kNot published by BLS

Top 10 highest-paying states

Median annual salary, BLS May 2025

  1. 1California$163,920
  2. 2Maryland$163,170
  3. 3Washington$160,510
  4. 4New Jersey$160,140
  5. 5Arizona$152,020
  6. 6Massachusetts$140,260
  7. 7District of Columbia$134,530
  8. 8Illinois$133,580
  9. 9Pennsylvania$133,520
  10. 10Minnesota$133,110
States above the US median17 of 48Median above $130,100
Highest-paying metro$208,080San Francisco–Oakland
Lowest published median$88,650South Dakota
Veterinarians counted83,460Employment across published states

All 50 states + DC

Compare every state.

51 states

ALAlabama$105,630-19% vs US
AKAlaskan/a

BLS didn’t publish a median for this state.

AZArizona$152,020+17% vs US
ARArkansas$107,710-17% vs US
CACalifornia$163,920+26% vs US
COColorado$130,840+1% vs US
CTConnecticut$126,190-3% vs US
DEDelawaren/a

BLS didn’t publish a median for this state.

DCDistrict of Columbia$134,530+3% vs US
FLFlorida$131,660+1% vs US
GAGeorgia$126,590-3% vs US
HIHawaii$130,120≈ US median
IDIdaho$116,170-11% vs US
ILIllinois$133,580+3% vs US
INIndiana$124,530-4% vs US
IAIowa$124,610-4% vs US
KSKansas$107,080-18% vs US
KYKentucky$104,100-20% vs US
LALouisiana$124,370-4% vs US
MEMaine$130,600≈ US median
MDMaryland$163,170+25% vs US
MAMassachusetts$140,260+8% vs US
MIMichigan$125,390-4% vs US
MNMinnesota$133,110+2% vs US
MSMississippi$105,370-19% vs US
MOMissouri$114,660-12% vs US
MTMontana$99,390-24% vs US
NENebraska$103,500-20% vs US
NVNevada$125,550-3% vs US
NHNew Hampshire$128,190-1% vs US
NJNew Jersey$160,140+23% vs US
NMNew Mexico$129,390-1% vs US
NYNew York$131,830+1% vs US
NCNorth Carolina$129,240-1% vs US
NDNorth Dakota$102,180-21% vs US
OHOhio$125,060-4% vs US
OKOklahoma$98,090-25% vs US
OROregon$128,880-1% vs US
PAPennsylvania$133,520+3% vs US
RIRhode Islandn/a

BLS didn’t publish a median for this state.

SCSouth Carolina$122,130-6% vs US
SDSouth Dakota$88,650-32% vs US
TNTennessee$124,350-4% vs US
TXTexas$131,330+1% vs US
UTUtah$123,990-5% vs US
VTVermont$131,820+1% vs US
VAVirginia$126,730-3% vs US
WAWashington$160,510+23% vs US
WVWest Virginia$128,990-1% vs US
WIWisconsin$108,780-16% vs US
WYWyoming$97,240-25% vs US

Anonymous salary survey

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Veterinarian holding a Pomeranian

Salary questions,
answered.

What is the average veterinarian salary in the US?+

The national median salary for veterinarians is $130,100 a year (about $62.55 an hour), according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. Half of veterinarians earn more and half earn less.

Which state pays veterinarians the most?+

California has the highest published median veterinarian salary at $163,920 a year. 17 states pay above the national median of $130,100.

Which city pays veterinarians the most?+

Among the metro areas BLS reports, San Francisco–Oakland has the highest median veterinarian salary at $208,080 a year.

Where does this salary data come from?+

State and metro figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. They are median annual base wages and may not include bonuses, production pay, or benefits. Some states are not published because BLS had too few survey responses to report reliably.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Figures are median annual base wages and may not include bonuses, profit-sharing, or benefits. States marked n/a were not published by BLS because too few responses were collected. View the original BLS data →

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