Veterinarians Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for veterinarians is $130,100, or $62.55 per hour. About 83,900 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $163,920 in California to $88,650 in South Dakota.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $163,920 | $78.81 | 9,170 | 0.93 |
| 2 | Maryland | $163,170 | $78.45 | 1,430 | 0.96 |
| 3 | Washington | $160,510 | $77.17 | 2,390 | 1.25 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $160,140 | $76.99 | 1,910 | 0.82 |
| 5 | Arizona | $152,020 | $73.09 | 2,080 | 1.19 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $140,260 | $67.43 | 1,920 | 0.98 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $134,530 | $64.68 | 190 | 0.49 |
| 8 | Illinois | $133,580 | $64.22 | 2,330 | 0.71 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $133,520 | $64.19 | 3,490 | 1.07 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $133,110 | $64.00 | 2,140 | 1.34 |
| 11 | New York | $131,830 | $63.38 | 3,390 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Vermont | $131,820 | $63.38 | 280 | 1.74 |
| 13 | Florida | $131,660 | $63.30 | 5,360 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Texas | $131,330 | $63.14 | 6,270 | 0.83 |
| 15 | Colorado | $130,840 | $62.91 | 2,340 | 1.51 |
| 16 | Maine | $130,600 | $62.79 | 600 | 1.72 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $130,120 | $62.56 | 370 | 1.10 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $129,390 | $62.21 | 460 | 0.99 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $129,240 | $62.14 | 2,940 | 1.10 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $128,990 | $62.01 | 390 | 1.03 |
| 21 | Oregon | $128,880 | $61.96 | 1,660 | 1.57 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $128,190 | $61.63 | 650 | 1.75 |
| 23 | Virginia | $126,730 | $60.93 | 2,700 | 1.22 |
| 24 | Georgia | $126,590 | $60.86 | 2,670 | 1.01 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $126,570 | $60.85 | 430 | 1.60 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $126,190 | $60.67 | 950 | 1.04 |
| 27 | Nevada | $125,550 | $60.36 | 680 | 0.82 |
| 28 | Michigan | $125,390 | $60.28 | 2,030 | 0.86 |
| 29 | Ohio | $125,060 | $60.12 | 3,430 | 1.15 |
| 30 | Iowa | $124,610 | $59.91 | 1,000 | 1.19 |
| 31 | Indiana | $124,530 | $59.87 | 1,500 | 0.87 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $124,370 | $59.79 | 950 | 0.91 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $124,350 | $59.78 | 1,730 | 0.98 |
| 34 | Utah | $123,990 | $59.61 | 640 | 0.69 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $122,130 | $58.72 | 1,380 | 1.11 |
| 36 | Idaho | $116,170 | $55.85 | 540 | 1.18 |
| 37 | Missouri | $114,660 | $55.12 | 1,920 | 1.21 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $108,780 | $52.30 | 1,830 | 1.15 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $107,710 | $51.79 | 540 | 0.77 |
| 40 | Kansas | $107,080 | $51.48 | 1,000 | 1.29 |
| 41 | Alabama | $105,630 | $50.79 | 1,020 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $105,370 | $50.66 | 480 | 0.76 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $104,100 | $50.05 | 1,190 | 1.10 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $103,500 | $49.76 | 780 | 1.41 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $102,180 | $49.13 | 270 | 1.17 |
| 46 | Montana | $99,390 | $47.78 | 510 | 1.84 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $98,090 | $47.16 | 1,150 | 1.25 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $97,240 | $46.75 | 140 | 0.91 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $88,650 | $42.62 | 280 | 1.13 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do veterinarians make?
The median annual wage for veterinarians in the United States is $130,100, or $62.55 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $73,920, and the top 10% earn $215,700.
How many veterinarians are employed in the U.S.?
About 83,900 people work as veterinarians nationwide.
Which state pays veterinarians the most?
California pays the most at a median of $163,920, followed by Maryland ($163,170) and Washington ($160,510).
Which state pays veterinarians the least?
South Dakota has the lowest median at $88,650.
Where are veterinarians jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Montana at 1.84×.