Veterinarian salary in
Chicago.
Veterinarians in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median annual wage of $148,730 ($71.50/hr), based on real Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 1,530 working in the area.
Median salary
$148,730
$71.50/hr
14% above US median
Low · 10th pct
$80,770
High · 90th pct
$289,310
Pay rank
#16of 75 metros
Veterinarians
1,530
employed
Full wage range
What vets in Chicago actually earn.
The salary ladder
Annual pay at each step of the scale in Chicago
US median $130,100
10th pct
25th pct
Median
75th pct
90th pct
The middle half earn $114,540–$196,430
Top earners make 3.6× what entry-level vets earn
How Chicago compares.
Median annual salary for veterinarians, from Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
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Chicago salary,
answered.
What is the average veterinarian salary in Chicago?
According to BLS OEWS 2025 data, the median annual wage for veterinarians in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $148,730 ($71.50/hour). The middle 50% earn between $114,540 and $196,430.
How does Chicago compare to the national average?
The national median veterinarian salary is $130,100 (BLS, May 2025). This metro's median of $148,730 is above that.
How much do veterinarians make per hour in Chicago?
The median hourly rate works out to $71.50, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Chicago compare to the rest of Illinois?
See the Illinois 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $148,730 (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.