Veterinary Salary in the United States

How much does a Veterinary make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Veterinary in the United States is $45,326 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

However, a Veterinary's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,795
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $41,730 to $50,283
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,455
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
Recruit with AI
View as table View as graph 25% $41,730 10% $38,455 90% $54,795 75% $50,283 $45,326 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Veterinary Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $50,283 $4,190 $967 $24
Average $45,326 $3,777 $872 $22
25th Percentile $41,730 $3,477 $802 $20
Check out Veterinary Job Openings in the United States
Registered Veterinary Technician RVT

305 Animal Hospital - Wickliffe, OH

Registered Veterinary Technician

Animal Clinic of Northview - North Ridgeville, OH

Veterinarian

National Veterinary Associates - Northwood, OH

Veterinarian

Moore Veterinary Hospital - Franklin, OH

Search More Veterinary Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Veterinary Salaries

A Veterinary'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 Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Veterinary'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $44,727
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $44,977
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $45,726
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $47,964
  • Expert (over 8 years): $49,081
Levels Salary
Entry Level Veterinary$44,727
Intermediate Level Veterinary$44,977
Senior Level Veterinary$45,726
Specialist Level Veterinary$47,964
Expert Level Veterinary$49,081
$44,727 0 yr
$44,977 < 2 yrs
$45,726 2-4 yrs
$47,964 5-8 yrs
$49,081 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Veterinaries

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: $57,170
  • San Francisco: $56,608
  • Oakland: $55,353

What Skills Can Increase a Veterinary'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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 7.46%
Animal Care 3.48%
Nursing Care 2.39%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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'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%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Internal Medicine
$66,630
47%
Critical Care
$65,270
44%
Patient Care
$56,205
24%
Anesthesia
$53,938
19%
Get Latest Data

Veterinary Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Veterinary'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.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Veterinary

Salaries for a Veterinary can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,752 in 2023 to around $48,292 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Veterinary salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Veterinary Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$48,752
2024
$48,697
2025
$48,292
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $48,752
2024 $48,697
2025 $48,292
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Veterinary

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Veterinary

Here are companies hiring for Veterinary and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Veterinary Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Veterinary job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst