Veterinarian salary in
San Diego.
Veterinarians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median annual wage of $159,750 ($76.80/hr), based on real Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 1,080 working in the area.
Median salary
$159,750
$76.80/hr
23% above US median
Low · 10th pct
$67,540
High · 90th pct
$276,230
Pay rank
#9of 75 metros
Veterinarians
1,080
employed
Full wage range
What vets in San Diego actually earn.
The salary ladder
Annual pay at each step of the scale in San Diego
US median $130,100
10th pct
25th pct
Median
75th pct
90th pct
The middle half earn $124,530–$199,580
Top earners make 4.1× what entry-level vets earn
How San Diego compares.
Median annual salary for veterinarians, from Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
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San Diego salary,
answered.
What is the average veterinarian salary in San Diego?
According to BLS OEWS 2025 data, the median annual wage for veterinarians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $159,750 ($76.80/hour). The middle 50% earn between $124,530 and $199,580.
How does San Diego compare to the national average?
The national median veterinarian salary is $130,100 (BLS, May 2025). This metro's median of $159,750 is above that.
How much do veterinarians make per hour in San Diego?
The median hourly rate works out to $76.80, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does San Diego compare to the rest of California?
See the California state page for the statewide figures and a ranked table of every metro area BLS tracks within the state.
Writing about vet compensation?
Feel free to cite this data - here's a ready-made attribution you can paste directly into your article.
“The median veterinarian salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $159,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).”
Figures are BLS median annual base wages and may not include bonuses, production pay, or benefits. Community breakdowns are separate, anonymous, self-reported submissions.