Veterinarian Salary in United States


Veterinarian Salary in United States
Veterinarian Salary in United States Image Source: Career explorer

Introduction

Veterinarians diagnose and treat animal diseases or injuries. Performs check-up exams. A Veterinarian Salary in the United States utilizes diagnostic laboratory tests, x-rays, sonography, and other tools to determine treatments for animals. Performs surgeries. Additionally, Veterinarian advises animal owners about preventative care, diet, vaccines, and behavioral conditions. Here, we are talking about the Veterinarian Salary in United States.

veterinarian pay
Image source: myhighplains

Here we are talking about Veterinarian Salary in United States:

Prescribes medications and treatment protocols. Consult with other veterinary specialists as needed. Requires a doctorate in veterinary medicine and an applicable state license to practice. Veterinarian Salary in the United States Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department. The requirement for the veterinarian’s years of experience may be unspecified. The main requirement is certification and/or licensing in the position’s specialty. 

How Much Does a Veterinarian Make?

The median salary of veterinarians was $218,000 in 2024. The best-paid 25 percent earned $126,260 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent earned $79,430.

Veterinarian Average base salary

The average salary for a veterinarian in the United States is $113,332 per year. 12.3k salaries reported, updated on 2024. This is the Veterinarian’s Salary in the United States, including housing, transport, and other benefits. Veterinarian salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. 

Veterinarian Average hourly salary

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in the United States is 52 USD. This means that the average Veterinarian in the United States earns approximately 52 USD for every worked hour.

Veterinarian Outlook of Salary

The BLS projects that 14,500 new veterinarian jobs will open by 2030 and grow by 17%.

Veterinarian Outlook of Salary
Image source: avma

Veterinarian Distribution of Salary

Salary Range

Veterinarian salaries in the United States range from 58,500 USD per year (minimum wage) to 164,000 USD per year (maximum salary).

Median Salary

The median salary is 99,700 USD per year, meaning that half (50%) of people working as Veterinarians (s) earn less than 99,700 USD while the other half earn more than 99,700 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.

Percentiles

Two values are closely related to the median: the 25th and 75th percentiles. From the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Veterinarians (s) earn less than 71,200 USD, while 75% earn more than 71,200 USD. 

Veterinarian Salary by years of experience

The experience level is the most critical factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience, the higher your wage you get. A Veterinarian Salary in the United States with less than two years of experience makes approximately 68,000 USD annually. Someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 85,900 USD per year, 26% more than someone with less than two years of experience. Someone with an experience level between five and ten years earns a salary of 113,000 USD per year, 32% more than someone with two to five years of experience.

Highly Paying States Veterinarians in the US

The states and districts that pay Veterinarians the highest mean salary are New Jersey ($128,430), Maryland ($128,120), the District of Columbia ($127,310), Rhode Island ($126,630), and Oregon ($122,840).

New Jersey$128,430
Maryland$128,120
District of Columbia$127,310
Rhode Island$126,630
Oregon$122,840

Veterinarians Salaries by Place of Employment

Veterinarian image
Image Source: thebalancecareers

In addition to the region, factors such as industry, experience, and employer affect a veterinarian’s salary.  The top-paying industries with the highest average annual salaries for this career are specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals ($154,310); management, scientific, and technical consulting services ($126,000); Veterinarian Salary in United States general medical and surgical hospitals ($122,470); scientific research and development services ($118,500); and employment services ($112,600). Veterinarians may work overtime on nights or weekends when emergencies occur outside of typical work hours.

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or the government? Public sector employees in the United States earn 5% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.

Benefits for Veterinarians

  • Continuing education credits
  • Dental insurance, Disability insurance
  • Employee assistance program
  • Employee discount
  • Flexible schedule
  • Flexible spending account
  • Gym membership
  • Health insurance
  • Health savings account
  • License reimbursement
  • Life insurance
  • Loan assistance
  • Loan repayment program
  • Opportunities for advancement
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Pet insurance 
  • Professional development assistance
  • Profit sharing
  • Referral program
  • Relocation assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Uniform allowance
  • Vision insurance

FAQ

How much does a vet earn in the USA?

The median salary of veterinarians in 2024 was $99,250. The best-paid 25 percent earned $126,260 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent earned $79,430.

What type of vet is the highest paid?

Average salaries for veterinarians vary, but we found that the highest-paid specialty in the industry is Ophthalmology, with AVMA reporting annual incomes of $199K+.

Is Veterinary a promising career in the USA?

Veterinary is a great job and has a great career. We have compiled all information on the Veterinary field regarding the educational qualifications, salary, job profile, and future scope.

Are veterinarians rich in the USA?

As noted above, the median annual salary of veterinarians in the United States is $88,490. Hawaii takes the cake, with a higher wage than any other country. The average veterinarian in Hawaii earns $95 per hour or $198,600 per year.

How much does a veterinarian earn per hour?

A veterinarian’s average means hourly wage was $52.09 in 2024.

What is a veterinarian’s salary in California?

A veterinarian’s annual mean wage in California was $116,220 in 2024.

What is the lowest salary for a Veterinarian in the United States?

The highest salary for a Veterinarian in the United States is $1,56,767 annually.

What is the lowest salary for a Veterinarian in the United States?

The lowest salary for a Veterinarian in the United States is $56,171 per year.

Conclusion

Veterinarian Salaries in the United States are likely to increase by approximately 11% every 18 months. The national average annual increment for all professions is 8%, granted to employees every 16 months.


Sai Sandhya

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