How much does a Veterinary Nurse make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Veterinary Nurse in the United States is $47,333 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.
However, a Veterinary Nurse's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $58,624
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,903 to $53,243
Key Factors That Influence Veterinary Nurse Salaries
A Veterinary Nurse's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Veterinary Nurse Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Veterinary Nurse's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Veterinary Nurse Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Veterinary Nurses. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $59,693
San Francisco: $59,043
Oakland: $57,803
San Jose, CA$59,693
San Francisco, CA$59,043
Oakland, CA$57,803
New York, NY$54,493
Paramus, NJ$53,833
Queens Village, NY$53,833
Passaic, NJ$53,783
Bergenfield, NJ$53,783
Stamford, CT$53,683
Huntington, NY$53,663
Newark, NJ$53,313
Bridgeport, CT$53,213
Vallejo, CA$53,113
New Brunswick, NJ$53,093
Petaluma, CA$53,073
Middlesex, NJ$52,983
Somerset, NJ$52,943
Santa Cruz, CA$52,883
Boston, MA$52,593
Monterey, CA$52,433
Seattle, WA$52,323
Santa Rosa, CA$52,313
Los Angeles, CA$52,293
Juneau, AK$52,173
Washington, DC$52,123
Orange, CA$51,953
Santa Ana, CA$51,833
Long Beach, CA$51,783
Anaheim, CA$51,773
Anchorage, AK$51,753
Santa Maria, CA$51,603
Everett, WA$51,593
Danbury, CT$51,433
Bremerton, WA$51,363
Tacoma, WA$51,193
New Suffolk, NY$51,193
Sacramento, CA$51,183
Santa Barbara, CA$51,133
Trenton, NJ$51,073
San Diego, CA$51,073
Brockton, MA$51,023
Fairbanks, AK$50,913
Lompoc, CA$50,793
Lowell, MA$50,753
Ventura, CA$50,743
Nashua, NH$50,733
Stockton, CA$50,723
Modesto, CA$50,383
Poughkeepsie, NY$50,273
Olympia, WA$50,183
Kennewick, WA$50,183
New Haven, CT$50,173
Lawrence, MA$49,993
Hartford, CT$49,953
Riverside, CA$49,943
New Bedford, MA$49,893
Richland, WA$49,893
Bakersfield, CA$49,823
San Bernardino, CA$49,813
New Britain, CT$49,803
Atlantic City, NJ$49,803
New London, CT$49,783
Norwich, CT$49,773
Portsmouth, NH$49,763
Boulder, CO$49,663
Portland, OR$49,593
Worcester, MA$49,593
Minneapolis, MN$49,443
Philadelphia, PA$49,383
Honolulu, HI$49,223
Saint Paul, MN$49,203
Vineland, NJ$49,193
Providence, RI$49,053
Chicago, IL$48,913
Bellingham, WA$48,853
Springfield, MA$48,823
Baltimore, MD$48,803
Chico, CA$48,683
Pittsfield, MA$48,563
Manchester, NH$48,473
Spokane, WA$48,263
Denver, CO$48,253
Albany, NY$48,033
Troy, NY$48,013
Nassau, NY$47,963
Schenectady, NY$47,913
Wilmington, DE$47,883
Burlington, VT$47,813
Salem, OR$47,793
Portland, ME$47,643
Yakima, WA$47,603
Rochester, MN$47,453
Reno, NV$47,433
Fresno, CA$47,433
Milwaukee, WI$47,383
Detroit, MI$47,343
Ann Arbor, MI$47,333
Allentown, PA$47,323
Colorado Springs, CO$47,243
Syracuse, NY$47,223
Carson City, NV$47,223
Houston, TX$47,153
Eugene, OR$47,133
Gary, IN$47,073
Springfield, OR$47,033
Bismarck, ND$47,023
Galveston, TX$46,993
Medford, OR$46,923
Fort Collins, CO$46,903
Concord, NH$46,883
Austin, TX$46,863
Mesa, AZ$46,763
Reading, PA$46,763
Phoenix, AZ$46,753
Dallas, TX$46,743
Saint Cloud, MN$46,693
Madison, WI$46,633
Utica, NY$46,503
Rochester, NY$46,433
Des Moines, IA$46,423
Raleigh, NC$46,423
Atlanta, GA$46,353
Battle Creek, MI$46,333
Salt Lake City, UT$46,323
Lancaster, PA$46,253
Harrisburg, PA$46,183
Kansas City, MO$46,133
Fort Worth, TX$46,123
Champaign, IL$46,123
Kansas City, KS$46,123
Columbus, OH$46,113
Boca Raton, FL$46,103
Pittsburgh, PA$46,083
Richmond, VA$46,063
Indianapolis, IN$46,053
Cleveland, OH$46,053
Las Vegas, NV$45,993
Cincinnati, OH$45,993
Petersburg, VA$45,923
Huntsville, AL$45,853
Lansing, MI$45,823
Lebanon, PA$45,813
Pueblo, CO$45,813
Appleton, WI$45,793
Buffalo, NY$45,773
Dayton, OH$45,763
Racine, WI$45,753
Charlotte, NC$45,753
Saint Louis, MO$45,733
York, PA$45,703
Elkhart, IN$45,703
Gastonia, NC$45,693
Billings, MT$45,683
Beaumont, TX$45,673
Lorain, OH$45,663
Benton Harbor, MI$45,653
Toledo, OH$45,643
Binghamton, NY$45,623
Rock Hill, SC$45,613
Rockford, IL$45,593
Springfield, IL$45,573
Elyria, OH$45,573
Fargo, ND$45,573
Flagstaff, AZ$45,533
Fort Lauderdale, FL$45,503
Duluth, MN$45,483
Miami, FL$45,483
Cheyenne, WY$45,443
Grand Forks, ND$45,443
Bangor, ME$45,343
Cedar Rapids, IA$45,293
Durham, NC$45,273
Louisville, KY$45,263
Grand Rapids, MI$45,253
Hialeah, FL$45,253
Casper, WY$45,183
Scranton, PA$45,133
Virginia Beach, VA$45,113
New Orleans, LA$45,113
Akron, OH$45,083
Peoria, IL$45,023
Sarasota, FL$45,013
Nashville, TN$44,983
Omaha, NE$44,983
Green Bay, WI$44,983
Baton Rouge, LA$44,963
Charleston, SC$44,953
Jamestown, NY$44,923
Davenport, IA$44,923
Tucson, AZ$44,903
Saint Petersburg, FL$44,873
Tampa, FL$44,863
Evansville, IN$44,833
Port Arthur, TX$44,833
Bradenton, FL$44,813
Santa Fe, NM$44,733
Orlando, FL$44,643
Clearwater, FL$44,633
Canton, OH$44,533
La Crosse, WI$44,533
Albuquerque, NM$44,503
Newport News, VA$44,503
High Point, NC$44,483
Ogden, UT$44,463
Corpus Christi, TX$44,433
Norfolk, VA$44,403
Laramie, WY$44,403
Rock Island, IL$44,373
Saginaw, MI$44,363
Jacksonville, FL$44,353
Salisbury, NC$44,353
Boise, ID$44,343
Moline, IL$44,313
Fort Myers, FL$44,303
Memphis, TN$44,293
Tulsa, OK$44,263
Waterloo, IA$44,243
Spartanburg, SC$44,193
Lincoln, NE$44,173
Fort Wayne, IN$44,163
Provo, UT$44,153
Cedar Falls, IA$44,093
San Antonio, TX$44,083
Greensboro, NC$44,063
South Bend, IN$44,053
Savannah, GA$44,003
Muskegon, MI$43,983
Birmingham, AL$43,983
Winston Salem, NC$43,953
Lake Charles, LA$43,843
Anderson, IN$43,833
Lexington, KY$43,823
Augusta, GA$43,803
Greenville, SC$43,803
Lima, OH$43,763
Wichita, KS$43,763
Tuscaloosa, AL$43,763
Columbia, SC$43,723
Springfield, OH$43,713
Asheville, NC$43,633
Bloomington, IN$43,603
Knoxville, TN$43,433
Shreveport, LA$43,423
Wilmington, NC$43,363
Roanoke, VA$43,363
Topeka, KS$43,283
Frankfort, KY$43,273
Oklahoma City, OK$43,243
Chillicothe, OH$43,223
Longview, TX$43,213
Melbourne, FL$43,213
Sioux Falls, SD$43,133
Mobile, AL$43,133
Terre Haute, IN$43,113
Altoona, PA$43,083
Amarillo, TX$43,053
Killeen, TX$43,033
Fayetteville, AR$43,003
Chattanooga, TN$42,983
Sioux City, IA$42,943
Idaho Falls, ID$42,933
Lynchburg, VA$42,893
Gainesville, FL$42,833
Portsmouth, OH$42,813
Little Rock, AR$42,803
Lafayette, LA$42,783
Youngstown, OH$42,783
Clarksville, TN$42,753
Daytona Beach, FL$42,753
Pensacola, FL$42,743
Temple, TX$42,743
Hopkinsville, KY$42,603
Erie, PA$42,593
Florence, SC$42,573
Charleston, WV$42,503
Great Falls, MT$42,473
Macon, GA$42,413
Tallahassee, FL$42,403
Fayetteville, NC$42,393
Waco, TX$42,383
Helena, MT$42,353
Pine Bluff, AR$42,333
Vincennes, IN$42,273
Lubbock, TX$42,253
Alamogordo, NM$42,233
Twin Falls, ID$42,183
Rapid City, SD$42,173
Greenville, MS$42,083
Jackson, MS$42,083
Huntington, WV$42,083
Parkersburg, WV$42,033
Montgomery, AL$42,023
Wichita Falls, TX$41,973
Springfield, MO$41,973
Biloxi, MS$41,953
Monroe, LA$41,903
Johnstown, PA$41,873
Columbus, GA$41,853
Sumter, SC$41,853
Pascagoula, MS$41,763
Abilene, TX$41,763
Kingsport, TN$41,633
Albany, GA$41,633
Gulfport, MS$41,623
Alexandria, LA$41,463
Fort Smith, AR$41,353
El Paso, TX$41,223
Las Cruces, NM$41,003
Harlingen, TX$40,883
Pocatello, ID$40,883
Florence, AL$40,823
Brownsville, TX$40,813
Mcallen, TX$40,713
Dothan, AL$40,643
Columbus, MS$40,363
Altus, OK$40,143
Lawton, OK$40,053
Pierre, SD$39,883
What Skills Can Increase a Veterinary Nurse's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 7.46% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Animal Care (Mentioned in 3.48% Job Postings): Providing animals' physical and mental needs to protect their welfare by treating them all with care.
Nursing Care (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Nursing Care means assistance provided for the health care needs of sick or disabled individuals, by or under the direction of licensed nursing personnel.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Veterinary Nurse's salary.
Internal Medicine: Can increase your salary by up to 47%.
Critical Care: Can increase your salary by up to 44%.
Patient Care: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
Veterinary Nurse Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Veterinary Nurse salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $51,881.
While startup companies pay approximate $43,968.
Veterinary Nurse Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$43,968
Growth Stage
51~500
$46,478
Established
501~5000
$50,119
Enterprise
5000+
$51,881
Veterinary Nurse Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Veterinary Nurse roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Hospitality & Leisure
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Veterinary Nurse positions in Retail & Wholesale or Business Services typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Veterinary Nurse as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Veterinary Nurse
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$61,533
$30.0
30%
Hospitality & Leisure
$56,800
$27.0
20%
Healthcare
$52,066
$25.0
10%
Veterinary Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Veterinary Nurse's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Veterinary Nurse can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $50,038 in 2023
to around $49,565 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Veterinary Nurse salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Veterinary Nurse Over Time
$???
$50,038
$49,982
$49,565
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$50,038
2024
$49,982
2025
$49,565
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Veterinary Nurse
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Veterinary Nurse
Here are companies hiring for Veterinary Nurse and their salaries, click below for more details.
K$114,295/per year
Kpmg Us LLPBusiness Servicesthe United States
W$114,096/per year
Warner Bros DiscoveryBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$111,927/per year
Dentsu International LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$111,873/per year
GroupM Worldwide IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$111,651/per year
CoWorx StaffingBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$110,194/per year
Contemporary Services CorpBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$107,128/per year
Showcase CinemasBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,429/per year
Amentum Services IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,199/per year
Allied Universal Security Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$106,104/per year
Sodexo USABusiness Servicesthe United States
J$105,192/per year
JLL TechnologiesBusiness Servicesthe United States
I$104,478/per year
Intact Insurance Group USA LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
N$101,619/per year
NielsenIQBusiness Servicesthe United States
T$101,470/per year
The Leading Edge AllianceBusiness Servicesthe United States
H$101,308/per year
Honeywell UOPBusiness Servicesthe United States
R$97,720/per year
Reeve & AssociatesBusiness Servicesthe United States
M$97,584/per year
ManpowerGroup Global IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
F$95,980/per year
Financial Sys NcoBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$95,314/per year
Arrow Global LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$94,777/per year
CarMax Enterprise Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$94,479/per year
DZConneXBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$93,802/per year
Adecco Staffing, USABusiness Servicesthe United States
R$92,937/per year
Resource MFGBusiness Servicesthe United States
Z$92,774/per year
Zachry Brands IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$88,138/per year
Greystar Worldwide LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
Find Your Next Veterinary Nurse Job
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FAQ about Veterinary Nurse
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Veterinary Nurse?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Veterinary Nurse roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
