Veterinarians
Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) earn a median $130,100 a year ($62.55 an hour) in the United States, with 83,900 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What veterinarians do
Veterinarians diagnose, treat or research diseases and injuries of animals. The SOC notes that the occupation includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals. In clinical work, they examine animals, collect blood, urine, feces or tissue for analysis, operate radiographic or ultrasound equipment and interpret the images, and treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery. They inoculate animals against diseases such as rabies or distemper. Much of the job is talking with owners: advising on sanitary measures, feeding, general care and treatment options, counseling clients about the deaths of pets and euthanasia decisions, and educating the public about diseases that can spread from animals to humans. Most respondents report a doctoral degree, with others reporting first professional or post-doctoral training. Titles like companion animal practitioner, emergency veterinarian, animal surgeon and equine dentist suggest the range of species and specialties.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a doctoral degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (79 percent).
Also called: Animal Anatomist, Animal Chiropractor, Animal Doctor, Animal Pathologist, Animal Physiologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $35.54 | $48.78 | $62.55 | $79.87 | $103.70 | $68.60 | 83,900 |
| Annual | $73,920 | $101,460 | $130,100 | $166,120 | $215,700 | $142,680 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where veterinarians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $35.98 | $60.32 | $78.81 | $101.85 | $137.66 | $81.66 | 9,170 | 0.50 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $74,850 | $125,460 | $163,920 | $211,840 | $286,330 | $169,860 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $50.02 | $63.96 | $78.45 | $91.08 | $103.35 | $78.76 | 1,430 | 0.52 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $104,030 | $133,040 | $163,170 | $189,450 | $214,960 | $163,830 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $46.70 | $60.09 | $77.17 | $94.89 | $127.69 | $78.37 | 2,390 | 0.67 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $97,140 | $124,990 | $160,510 | $197,370 | $265,600 | $163,010 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $49.87 | $60.81 | $76.99 | $97.56 | $132.14 | $79.89 | 1,910 | 0.45 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $103,720 | $126,480 | $160,140 | $202,930 | $274,850 | $166,170 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $39.42 | $60.20 | $73.09 | $98.57 | $126.44 | $90.10 | 2,080 | 0.64 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $81,990 | $125,210 | $152,020 | $205,030 | $262,990 | $187,410 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $35.98 | $60.32 | $78.81 | $101.85 | $137.66 | $81.66 | 9,170 | 0.50 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $74,850 | $125,460 | $163,920 | $211,840 | $286,330 | $169,860 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $36.79 | $51.87 | $63.14 | $78.85 | $98.04 | $66.42 | 6,270 | 0.45 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $76,510 | $107,880 | $131,330 | $164,000 | $203,920 | $138,150 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $30.01 | $40.28 | $63.30 | $79.99 | $100.73 | $67.19 | 5,360 | 0.54 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $62,430 | $83,790 | $131,660 | $166,370 | $209,520 | $139,760 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $38.36 | $51.83 | $64.19 | $79.92 | $129.27 | $74.25 | 3,490 | 0.58 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $79,780 | $107,810 | $133,520 | $166,230 | $268,870 | $154,440 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $25.99 | $42.67 | $60.12 | $75.16 | $99.61 | $62.45 | 3,430 | 0.62 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $54,050 | $88,750 | $125,060 | $156,330 | $207,190 | $129,890 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $42.85 | $66.77 | $100.04 | $117.09 | $142.03 | $93.83 | 1,350 | 0.57 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $89,130 | $138,880 | $208,080 | $243,550 | $295,420 | $195,160 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $40.08 | $63.43 | $92.38 | $109.19 | $155.41 | $92.32 | 350 | 0.31 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $83,370 | $131,920 | $192,160 | $227,110 | $323,260 | $192,030 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $35.79 | $62.21 | $82.98 | $98.41 | $128.87 | $81.01 | 30 | 0.41 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $74,450 | $129,390 | $172,600 | $204,690 | $268,040 | $168,500 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $41.94 | $61.38 | $79.45 | $103.73 | $141.65 | $85.22 | 830 | 0.77 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $87,220 | $127,660 | $165,260 | $215,760 | $294,620 | $177,250 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $32.90 | $58.92 | $79.24 | $105.43 | $143.67 | $81.94 | 130 | 1.30 | 2.41 |
| Annual | $68,430 | $122,550 | $164,820 | $219,300 | $298,830 | $170,430 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $48.78 | $59.37 | $75.07 | $98.12 | $141.24 | $79.95 | 3,150 | 0.33 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $101,450 | $123,490 | $156,150 | $204,090 | $293,790 | $166,290 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $32.41 | $58.46 | $76.96 | $101.97 | $136.56 | $79.07 | 2,740 | 0.44 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $67,410 | $121,590 | $160,080 | $212,090 | $284,050 | $164,460 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $42.85 | $60.37 | $67.21 | $83.53 | $135.45 | $77.87 | 1,790 | 0.62 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $89,130 | $125,570 | $139,810 | $173,740 | $281,730 | $161,960 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $41.19 | $57.70 | $64.21 | $79.59 | $100.58 | $69.28 | 1,760 | 0.43 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $85,660 | $120,010 | $133,550 | $165,550 | $209,210 | $144,100 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $38.16 | $60.70 | $74.21 | $95.15 | $130.66 | $78.69 | 1,740 | 0.55 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $79,360 | $126,260 | $154,350 | $197,920 | $271,770 | $163,670 | ||||
Top industries employing veterinarians
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employ 89.6% of veterinarians nationally (75,210 jobs) at a median $129,990 a year ($62.50 an hour), followed by Other Personal Services (1.5%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (1.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 75,210 | 89.6% | $129,990 | $62.50 |
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 1,280 | 1.5% | $135,460 | $65.13 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,070 | 1.3% | $121,590 | $58.46 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations NAICS 813300 | 980 | 1.2% | $131,760 | $63.35 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 900 | 1.1% | $110,590 | $53.17 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (83,900). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $100,370 for veterinarians in May 2021 and $130,100 in May 2025, with employment of 77,260 and 83,900.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $100,370 | $48.26 | 77,260 |
| May 2022 | $103,260 | $49.64 | 78,810 |
| May 2023 | $119,100 | $57.26 | 78,220 |
| May 2024 | $125,510 | $60.34 | 80,630 |
| May 2025 | $130,100 | $62.55 | 83,900 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $78.81 | $163,920 | $74,850 | $286,330 | 9,170 | 0.50 | 0.93 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $78.45 | $163,170 | $104,030 | $214,960 | 1,430 | 0.52 | 0.96 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $77.17 | $160,510 | $97,140 | $265,600 | 2,390 | 0.67 | 1.25 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $76.99 | $160,140 | $103,720 | $274,850 | 1,910 | 0.45 | 0.82 |
| 5 | Arizona profile | $73.09 | $152,020 | $81,990 | $262,990 | 2,080 | 0.64 | 1.19 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $67.43 | $140,260 | $96,320 | $260,010 | 1,920 | 0.53 | 0.98 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $64.68 | $134,530 | $69,990 | $294,160 | 190 | 0.26 | 0.49 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $64.22 | $133,580 | $74,840 | $280,380 | 2,330 | 0.38 | 0.71 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania profile | $64.19 | $133,520 | $79,780 | $268,870 | 3,490 | 0.58 | 1.07 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $64.00 | $133,110 | $83,280 | $217,580 | 2,140 | 0.73 | 1.34 |
| 11 | New York profile | $63.38 | $131,830 | $89,130 | $251,000 | 3,390 | 0.35 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Vermont profile | $63.38 | $131,820 | $91,290 | $213,060 | 280 | 0.94 | 1.74 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $63.30 | $131,660 | $62,430 | $209,520 | 5,360 | 0.54 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Texas profile | $63.14 | $131,330 | $76,510 | $203,920 | 6,270 | 0.45 | 0.83 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $62.91 | $130,840 | $77,710 | $211,930 | 2,340 | 0.81 | 1.51 |
| 16 | Maine profile | $62.79 | $130,600 | $81,780 | $194,680 | 600 | 0.93 | 1.72 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $62.56 | $130,120 | $62,460 | $188,130 | 370 | 0.60 | 1.10 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | $62.21 | $129,390 | $79,450 | $212,850 | 460 | 0.53 | 0.99 |
| 19 | North Carolina profile | $62.14 | $129,240 | $77,650 | $209,340 | 2,940 | 0.60 | 1.10 |
| 20 | West Virginia profile | $62.01 | $128,990 | $54,830 | $201,910 | 390 | 0.55 | 1.03 |
| 21 | Oregon profile | $61.96 | $128,880 | $78,420 | $205,850 | 1,660 | 0.85 | 1.57 |
| 22 | New Hampshire profile | $61.63 | $128,190 | $74,780 | $283,460 | 650 | 0.94 | 1.75 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $60.93 | $126,730 | $63,350 | $220,170 | 2,700 | 0.66 | 1.22 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | $60.86 | $126,590 | $66,710 | $167,620 | 2,670 | 0.55 | 1.01 |
| 25 | Rhode Island profile | $60.85 | $126,570 | $106,730 | $196,300 | 430 | 0.86 | 1.60 |
| 26 | Connecticut profile | $60.67 | $126,190 | $46,960 | $218,720 | 950 | 0.56 | 1.04 |
| 27 | Nevada profile | $60.36 | $125,550 | $98,860 | $189,620 | 680 | 0.44 | 0.82 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $60.28 | $125,390 | $75,900 | $192,800 | 2,030 | 0.46 | 0.86 |
| 29 | Ohio profile | $60.12 | $125,060 | $54,050 | $207,190 | 3,430 | 0.62 | 1.15 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $59.91 | $124,610 | $72,800 | $168,950 | 1,000 | 0.64 | 1.19 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $59.87 | $124,530 | $63,630 | $173,810 | 1,500 | 0.47 | 0.87 |
| 32 | Louisiana profile | $59.79 | $124,370 | $64,690 | $165,560 | 950 | 0.49 | 0.91 |
| 33 | Tennessee profile | $59.78 | $124,350 | $98,500 | $167,900 | 1,730 | 0.53 | 0.98 |
| 34 | Utah profile | $59.61 | $123,990 | $75,970 | $215,720 | 640 | 0.37 | 0.69 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $58.72 | $122,130 | $48,140 | $200,860 | 1,380 | 0.60 | 1.11 |
| 36 | Idaho profile | $55.85 | $116,170 | $43,290 | $168,840 | 540 | 0.64 | 1.18 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $55.12 | $114,660 | $61,270 | $193,860 | 1,920 | 0.65 | 1.21 |
| 38 | Wisconsin profile | $52.30 | $108,780 | $79,350 | $159,940 | 1,830 | 0.62 | 1.15 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $51.79 | $107,710 | $38,870 | $153,370 | 540 | 0.41 | 0.77 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $51.48 | $107,080 | $71,200 | $177,110 | 1,000 | 0.70 | 1.29 |
| 41 | Alabama profile | $50.79 | $105,630 | $65,430 | $172,290 | 1,020 | 0.48 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Mississippi profile | $50.66 | $105,370 | $70,050 | $163,040 | 480 | 0.41 | 0.76 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $50.05 | $104,100 | $44,200 | $169,220 | 1,190 | 0.59 | 1.10 |
| 44 | Nebraska profile | $49.76 | $103,500 | $60,630 | $165,660 | 780 | 0.76 | 1.41 |
| 45 | North Dakota profile | $49.13 | $102,180 | $81,420 | $153,720 | 270 | 0.63 | 1.17 |
| 46 | Montana profile | $47.78 | $99,390 | $51,390 | $183,190 | 510 | 1.00 | 1.84 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $47.16 | $98,090 | $51,710 | $208,000 | 1,150 | 0.68 | 1.25 |
| 48 | Wyoming profile | $46.75 | $97,240 | $55,420 | $149,070 | 140 | 0.49 | 0.91 |
| 49 | South Dakota profile | $42.62 | $88,650 | $61,640 | $128,920 | 280 | 0.61 | 1.13 |
| – | Alaska profile | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.48 | 0.90 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 230 | 0.48 | 0.89 |
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1131 Veterinarians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1131, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1131.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.