Hourly Wage for Veterinary Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does a Veterinary Nurse make hourly?

As of May 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Veterinary Nurse in the United States is $23, which translates to an annual salary of about $47,313.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $28 per hour
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $21 to $26 per hour
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $20 per hour

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Veterinary Nurse Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$53,223	$4,435	$1,024	$26
Average	$47,313	$3,943	$910	$23
25th Percentile	$43,883	$3,657	$844	$21

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Check out Veterinary Nurse Job Openings in the United States

Licensed Veterinary Technician

VCA Adirondack Animal Hospital - QUEENSBURY, NY

Lead Licensed Veterinary Technician

VCA Adirondack Animal Hospital - QUEENSBURY, NY

Registered Emergency Veterinary Technician

Animal ER of the Western Slope - GRAND JUNCTION, CO

Registered Nurse

Wayne Country View Care and Rehabilitation - WAYNE, NE

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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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $45,951
Early Career (1-2 years): $46,207
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $46,975
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $49,274
Expert (over 8 years): $50,420

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Veterinary Nurse	$45,951
Intermediate Level Veterinary Nurse	$46,207
Senior Level Veterinary Nurse	$46,975
Specialist Level Veterinary Nurse	$49,274
Expert Level Veterinary Nurse	$50,420

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What Am I Worth?

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:

District of Columbia: $52,383.
California: $52,183.
Massachusetts: $51,493.

District of Columbia $52,383 California $52,183 Massachusetts $51,493 Washington $51,303 New Jersey $51,283 Alaska $51,213 Connecticut $50,563 New York $50,303

Hawaii $49,453 Rhode Island $49,053 Maryland $48,783 Minnesota $48,413 Colorado $48,273 Illinois $48,223 Oregon $48,043 Delaware $47,913

New Hampshire $47,833 Virginia $47,643 Pennsylvania $47,103 Nevada $46,823 North Dakota $46,733 Michigan $46,593 Wisconsin $46,543 Vermont $46,443

Texas $46,153 Maine $46,133 Arizona $46,103 Ohio $46,073 Georgia $45,633 Indiana $45,413 Wyoming $45,373 Utah $45,313

Iowa $45,283 Kansas $45,053 Louisiana $44,983 North Carolina $44,963 Missouri $44,953 Florida $44,773 Montana $44,673 Nebraska $44,573

Kentucky $44,523 South Carolina $44,333 Tennessee $44,213 Idaho $44,173 New Mexico $43,823 Oklahoma $43,743 Alabama $43,473 South Dakota $43,003

Arkansas $42,743 West Virginia $42,613 Mississippi $42,193

Top Paying Cities for Veterinary Nurses

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: $59,673
San Francisco: $59,023
Oakland: $57,773

San Jose, CA $59,673

San Francisco, CA $59,023

Oakland, CA $57,773

New York, NY $54,473

Paramus, NJ $53,813

Queens Village, NY $53,813

Passaic, NJ $53,763

Bergenfield, NJ $53,763

Stamford, CT $53,653

Huntington, NY $53,633

Newark, NJ $53,283

Bridgeport, CT $53,183

Vallejo, CA $53,093

New Brunswick, NJ $53,073

Petaluma, CA $53,043

Middlesex, NJ $52,953

Somerset, NJ $52,923

Santa Cruz, CA $52,863

Boston, MA $52,573

Monterey, CA $52,403

Seattle, WA $52,303

Santa Rosa, CA $52,293

Los Angeles, CA $52,273

Juneau, AK $52,153

Washington, DC $52,103

Orange, CA $51,933

Santa Ana, CA $51,803

Long Beach, CA $51,763

Anaheim, CA $51,753

Anchorage, AK $51,723

Santa Maria, CA $51,583

Everett, WA $51,573

Danbury, CT $51,413

Bremerton, WA $51,343

Tacoma, WA $51,173

New Suffolk, NY $51,173

Sacramento, CA $51,163

Santa Barbara, CA $51,103

Trenton, NJ $51,053

San Diego, CA $51,053

Brockton, MA $51,003

Fairbanks, AK $50,883

Lompoc, CA $50,763

Lowell, MA $50,733

Ventura, CA $50,723

Nashua, NH $50,713

Stockton, CA $50,703

Modesto, CA $50,363

Poughkeepsie, NY $50,253

Kennewick, WA $50,163

Olympia, WA $50,163

New Haven, CT $50,143

Lawrence, MA $49,973

Hartford, CT $49,933

Riverside, CA $49,923

New Bedford, MA $49,873

Richland, WA $49,873

Bakersfield, CA $49,803

Atlantic City, NJ $49,783

San Bernardino, CA $49,783

New Britain, CT $49,783

New London, CT $49,763

Norwich, CT $49,753

Portsmouth, NH $49,743

Boulder, CO $49,643

Portland, OR $49,573

Worcester, MA $49,573

Minneapolis, MN $49,423

Philadelphia, PA $49,353

Honolulu, HI $49,203

Saint Paul, MN $49,183

Vineland, NJ $49,173

Providence, RI $49,033

Chicago, IL $48,893

Bellingham, WA $48,833

Springfield, MA $48,803

Baltimore, MD $48,783

Chico, CA $48,663

Pittsfield, MA $48,543

Manchester, NH $48,453

Spokane, WA $48,243

Denver, CO $48,233

Albany, NY $48,013

Troy, NY $47,993

Nassau, NY $47,943

Schenectady, NY $47,893

Wilmington, DE $47,853

Burlington, VT $47,793

Salem, OR $47,773

Portland, ME $47,623

Yakima, WA $47,583

Rochester, MN $47,433

Reno, NV $47,413

Fresno, CA $47,413

Milwaukee, WI $47,363

Detroit, MI $47,323

Ann Arbor, MI $47,313

Allentown, PA $47,303

Colorado Springs, CO $47,223

Syracuse, NY $47,203

Carson City, NV $47,203

Houston, TX $47,133

Eugene, OR $47,113

Gary, IN $47,053

Springfield, OR $47,013

Bismarck, ND $47,003

Galveston, TX $46,973

Medford, OR $46,903

Fort Collins, CO $46,883

Concord, NH $46,863

Austin, TX $46,843

Mesa, AZ $46,743

Reading, PA $46,743

Phoenix, AZ $46,733

Dallas, TX $46,723

Saint Cloud, MN $46,673

Madison, WI $46,613

Utica, NY $46,483

Rochester, NY $46,413

Des Moines, IA $46,403

Raleigh, NC $46,403

Atlanta, GA $46,333

Battle Creek, MI $46,313

Salt Lake City, UT $46,303

Lancaster, PA $46,233

Harrisburg, PA $46,163

Kansas City, MO $46,113

Fort Worth, TX $46,103

Champaign, IL $46,103

Kansas City, KS $46,103

Columbus, OH $46,093

Boca Raton, FL $46,083

Pittsburgh, PA $46,063

Richmond, VA $46,043

Indianapolis, IN $46,033

Cleveland, OH $46,033

Las Vegas, NV $45,973

Cincinnati, OH $45,973

Petersburg, VA $45,903

Huntsville, AL $45,833

Lansing, MI $45,803

Lebanon, PA $45,793

Pueblo, CO $45,793

Appleton, WI $45,773

Buffalo, NY $45,753

Dayton, OH $45,743

Racine, WI $45,733

Charlotte, NC $45,733

Saint Louis, MO $45,713

York, PA $45,683

Elkhart, IN $45,683

Gastonia, NC $45,683

Billings, MT $45,663

Beaumont, TX $45,653

Lorain, OH $45,643

Benton Harbor, MI $45,633

Toledo, OH $45,623

Binghamton, NY $45,603

Rock Hill, SC $45,593

Rockford, IL $45,573

Springfield, IL $45,553

Elyria, OH $45,553

Fargo, ND $45,553

Flagstaff, AZ $45,513

Fort Lauderdale, FL $45,493

Duluth, MN $45,463

Miami, FL $45,463

Cheyenne, WY $45,423

Grand Forks, ND $45,423

Bangor, ME $45,323

Cedar Rapids, IA $45,273

Durham, NC $45,253

Louisville, KY $45,243

Grand Rapids, MI $45,233

Hialeah, FL $45,233

Casper, WY $45,163

Scranton, PA $45,113

Virginia Beach, VA $45,093

New Orleans, LA $45,093

Akron, OH $45,063

Peoria, IL $45,003

Sarasota, FL $44,993

Nashville, TN $44,963

Omaha, NE $44,963

Green Bay, WI $44,963

Baton Rouge, LA $44,943

Charleston, SC $44,933

Jamestown, NY $44,903

Davenport, IA $44,903

Tucson, AZ $44,883

Saint Petersburg, FL $44,853

Tampa, FL $44,843

Evansville, IN $44,813

Port Arthur, TX $44,813

Bradenton, FL $44,793

Santa Fe, NM $44,713

Orlando, FL $44,623

Clearwater, FL $44,613

Canton, OH $44,513

La Crosse, WI $44,513

Albuquerque, NM $44,483

Newport News, VA $44,483

High Point, NC $44,463

Ogden, UT $44,443

Corpus Christi, TX $44,413

Norfolk, VA $44,383

Laramie, WY $44,383

Rock Island, IL $44,353

Jacksonville, FL $44,343

Saginaw, MI $44,343

Salisbury, NC $44,333

Boise, ID $44,323

Moline, IL $44,293

Fort Myers, FL $44,283

Memphis, TN $44,273

Tulsa, OK $44,253

Waterloo, IA $44,223

Spartanburg, SC $44,173

Lincoln, NE $44,153

Fort Wayne, IN $44,143

Provo, UT $44,133

Cedar Falls, IA $44,083

San Antonio, TX $44,063

Greensboro, NC $44,043

South Bend, IN $44,033

Savannah, GA $43,983

Muskegon, MI $43,963

Birmingham, AL $43,963

Winston Salem, NC $43,933

Lake Charles, LA $43,823

Anderson, IN $43,813

Lexington, KY $43,803

Augusta, GA $43,783

Greenville, SC $43,783

Lima, OH $43,743

Wichita, KS $43,743

Tuscaloosa, AL $43,743

Columbia, SC $43,703

Springfield, OH $43,693

Asheville, NC $43,613

Bloomington, IN $43,583

Knoxville, TN $43,413

Shreveport, LA $43,403

Wilmington, NC $43,343

Roanoke, VA $43,343

Topeka, KS $43,263

Frankfort, KY $43,253

Oklahoma City, OK $43,223

Longview, TX $43,203

Chillicothe, OH $43,203

Melbourne, FL $43,193

Sioux Falls, SD $43,123

Mobile, AL $43,113

Terre Haute, IN $43,093

Altoona, PA $43,063

Amarillo, TX $43,033

Killeen, TX $43,023

Fayetteville, AR $42,983

Chattanooga, TN $42,963

Sioux City, IA $42,923

Idaho Falls, ID $42,913

Lynchburg, VA $42,873

Gainesville, FL $42,813

Portsmouth, OH $42,793

Little Rock, AR $42,783

Lafayette, LA $42,763

Youngstown, OH $42,763

Clarksville, TN $42,733

Daytona Beach, FL $42,733

Pensacola, FL $42,723

Temple, TX $42,723

Hopkinsville, KY $42,583

Erie, PA $42,573

Florence, SC $42,553

Charleston, WV $42,483

Great Falls, MT $42,453

Macon, GA $42,393

Tallahassee, FL $42,383

Fayetteville, NC $42,373

Waco, TX $42,363

Helena, MT $42,333

Pine Bluff, AR $42,313

Vincennes, IN $42,263

Lubbock, TX $42,243

Alamogordo, NM $42,213

Twin Falls, ID $42,173

Rapid City, SD $42,153

Jackson, MS $42,073

Huntington, WV $42,063

Greenville, MS $42,063

Parkersburg, WV $42,013

Montgomery, AL $42,003

Wichita Falls, TX $41,963

Springfield, MO $41,963

Biloxi, MS $41,933

Monroe, LA $41,893

Johnstown, PA $41,853

Columbus, GA $41,833

Sumter, SC $41,833

Pascagoula, MS $41,743

Abilene, TX $41,743

Kingsport, TN $41,623

Albany, GA $41,623

Gulfport, MS $41,603

Alexandria, LA $41,453

Fort Smith, AR $41,333

El Paso, TX $41,203

Las Cruces, NM $40,993

Harlingen, TX $40,873

Pocatello, ID $40,863

Florence, AL $40,803

Brownsville, TX $40,793

Mcallen, TX $40,693

Dothan, AL $40,623

Columbus, MS $40,343

Altus, OK $40,123

Lawton, OK $40,033

Pierre, SD $39,863

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.

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 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%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Internal Medicine	$69,550	47%
Critical Care	$68,131	44%
Patient Care	$58,668	24%
Anesthesia	$56,302	19%

Get Latest Data

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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$43,883

Average $47,313/year

$53,223

$3,657

Average $3,943/month

$4,435

$844

Average $910/week

$1,024

$21

Average $23/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$53,223	$4,435	$1,024	$26
Average	$47,313	$3,943	$910	$23
25th Percentile	$43,883	$3,657	$844	$21

Salaries of jobs related to Veterinary Nurse

Salary Trends for Veterinary Nurse

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

2022

$???

2023

$50,038

2024

$49,982

2025

$49,565

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)

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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 LLP

Business Services

the United States

W

$114,096/per year

Warner Bros Discovery

Business Services

the United States

D

$111,927/per year

Dentsu International Ltd

Business Services

the United States

G

$111,873/per year

GroupM Worldwide Inc

Business Services

the United States

C

$111,651/per year

CoWorx Staffing

Business Services

the United States

C

$110,194/per year

Contemporary Services Corp

Business Services

the United States

S

$107,128/per year

Showcase Cinemas

Business Services

the United States

A

$106,429/per year

Amentum Services Inc

Business Services

the United States

A

$106,199/per year

Allied Universal Security Services LLC

Business Services

the United States

S

$106,104/per year

Sodexo USA

Business Services

the United States

J

$105,192/per year

JLL Technologies

Business Services

the United States

I

$104,478/per year

Intact Insurance Group USA LLC

Business Services

the United States

N

$101,619/per year

NielsenIQ

Business Services

the United States

T

$101,470/per year

The Leading Edge Alliance

Business Services

the United States

H

$101,308/per year

Honeywell UOP

Business Services

the United States

R

$97,720/per year

Reeve & Associates

Business Services

the United States

M

$97,584/per year

ManpowerGroup Global Inc

Business Services

the United States

F

$95,980/per year

Financial Sys Nco

Business Services

the United States

A

$95,314/per year

Arrow Global Ltd

Business Services

the United States

C

$94,777/per year

CarMax Enterprise Services LLC

Business Services

the United States

D

$94,479/per year

DZConneX

Business Services

the United States

A

$93,802/per year

Adecco Staffing, USA

Business Services

the United States

R

$92,937/per year

Resource MFG

Business Services

the United States

Z

$92,774/per year

Zachry Brands Inc

Business Services

the United States

G

$88,138/per year

Greystar Worldwide LLC

Business Services

the United States

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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