A veterinarian salary calculator converts veterinary pay between hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly and annual amounts, then compares it with official wage data. In May 2025 the median wage for veterinarians was $130,100 a year, or $62.55 an hour, across 83,900 employee jobs in the United States.
Annual gross pay
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How to Use the Veterinarian Salary Calculator
- Choose your pay type: annual salary for an associate contract, or hourly rate for relief or part-time shifts.
- Enter your base pay, your hours per week and your weeks per year. Add other annual pay or a second offer if you have them.
- Read your annual gross pay, the pay-period amounts and where your hourly pay sits in the BLS wage table.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Annual gross pay | Base pay for the year plus any other annual pay you entered, before tax. |
| Monthly, biweekly, weekly | Annual gross pay divided by 12, 26 and 52. |
| Hourly | Base pay per paid hour. This is the number compared with BLS. |
| BLS percentile band | The two published BLS percentiles your hourly pay falls between. |
| Approximate percentile | A straight-line estimate between those two percentiles. BLS does not publish it. |
| Gap to BLS median | Your hourly pay minus the BLS median hourly wage, in dollars and percent. |
| Full-time equivalent | Your hourly pay times 2,080 hours, the work year BLS uses for annual wages. |
| Annual pay percentile | Your annual base pay placed in the BLS annual wage table. It matches the hourly result only on a 2,080-hour year. |
| Second offer rows | The second offer as annual and hourly pay, its percentile and the yearly difference. |
The first preset is an example, not a typical wage. It shows an associate veterinarian paid $125,000 a year for a 45-hour week. That works out to $53.42 an hour, about the 33rd percentile by the hour.
What Is a Veterinarian Salary?
A veterinarian salary is the gross pay a veterinarian earns in a year, before tax and deductions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counts it under occupation code 29-1131.
BLS defines the job this way: veterinarians diagnose, treat or research diseases and injuries of animals. The code includes veterinarians who do research, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.
| Fact | Veterinarians |
|---|---|
| Median pay, May 2025 | $130,100 a year, $62.55 an hour |
| Entry education | Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited college. The program generally takes 4 years. |
| Licence | Required to practice. All states require an accredited program and a qualifying exam. |
| Jobs, 2025 | 91,100 in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, self-employed included |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | 9% growth, 8,600 more jobs |
| Openings | About 3,100 a year |
These facts come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read on 2026-10-02. BLS gives the average growth for all occupations as 3%. The handbook says veterinary services employ 83% of veterinarians and 7% are self-employed.
The wage survey covers employees only. It leaves out the self-employed and the owners and partners of unincorporated firms. The wage table therefore describes associate and staff veterinarians, not practice owners.
This tool is for veterinarians checking a contract, a raise or a relief rate. It is not a pay quote from any practice.
How Does the Veterinarian Salary Calculator Work?
The calculator converts your pay between time periods, then places your hourly pay in the BLS wage distribution for veterinarians.
Annual pay = hourly rate x hours per week x weeks per yearApproximate percentile = P1 + (your hourly - W1) / (W2 - W1) x (P2 - P1)- Convert. An hourly rate is multiplied by hours and weeks. A salary is divided by them to get pay per hour.
- Add other pay. Overtime, differentials and bonuses you typed are added to the annual total only.
- Find the band. Your base hourly pay is checked against the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages.
- Interpolate. W1 and W2 are the two BLS wages around your pay. P1 and P2 are their percentiles.
- Measure the gap. Your hourly pay minus the median, then divided by the median.
The table below is the wage table the tool uses. BLS publishes one table for all veterinarians, whatever animals they treat.
| Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) | Hourly wage | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35.54 | $73,920 |
| 25th percentile | $48.78 | $101,460 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $62.55 | $130,100 |
| 75th percentile | $79.87 | $166,120 |
| 90th percentile | $103.70 | $215,700 |
| Mean (average) | $68.60 | $142,680 |
| Employment | 83,900 jobs | |
Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS annual wages equal the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. That is 40 hours for 52 weeks. The comparison uses hourly pay so that part-time and long-shift schedules are judged fairly.
Veterinarian Salary Example: Base Salary Plus Production
An associate veterinarian has a base salary of $110,000. Her contract also paid $22,000 of production pay last year. She works 44 hours a week. She received a $10,000 signing bonus. A second practice offers $145,000 in total production-based pay.
BLS wages include production bonuses and commissions. She therefore enters $132,000 as base pay. The signing bonus is not tied to production, so it goes in the other annual pay field.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Base pay for comparison | 110,000 + 22,000 | $132,000.00 |
| Annual gross pay | 132,000 + 10,000 | $142,000.00 |
| Monthly | 142,000 / 12 | $11,833.33 |
| Hourly pay | 132,000 / (44 x 52) | $57.69 |
| BLS band by the hour | 57.69 is between 48.78 and 62.55 | 25th to 50th percentile |
| Approximate percentile | 25 + (57.69 - 48.78) / (62.55 - 48.78) x 25 | About the 41st |
| Gap to median | 57.69 - 62.55 | -$4.86 an hour (-7.8%) |
| Annual pay percentile | 132,000 in the annual table | About the 51st |
| Second offer | 145,000 / (44 x 52) | $63.37 an hour, +$13,000.00 a year |
Her annual pay is just above the national median of $130,100. Her pay per hour is below the median, near the 41st percentile, because a 44-hour week is 2,288 hours a year. The second offer lifts her hourly pay to about the 51st percentile.
Factors That Change Veterinarian Pay
Employer Type
Most veterinarians work in veterinary practices, and practice pay sets the national median. The Occupational Outlook Handbook lists these median annual wages for May 2025: social advocacy organizations $131,760, veterinary services $129,990, educational services $121,890 and government $115,210.
The wage survey places 75,210 veterinarian jobs in other professional, scientific and technical services. BLS files veterinary practices under that group. It holds 89.6% of all employee veterinarians.
| Industry | Jobs | Share of all jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 75,210 | 89.6% |
| Other Personal Services | 1,280 | 1.5% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 1,070 | 1.3% |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | 980 | 1.2% |
| Federal Executive Branch | 900 | 1.1% |
The five industries that employ the most veterinarians. Share is jobs divided by 83,900. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Industries with the Highest Mean Wage
The highest mean wages are outside clinical practice. Drug makers, wholesalers and research firms pay veterinarians more than practices do, and they employ few of them.
| Industry | Annual mean wage | Versus national mean |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $173,840 | +$31,160 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $164,160 | +$21,480 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $160,400 | +$17,720 |
| Employment Services | $153,640 | +$10,960 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $152,710 | +$10,030 |
The five industries with the highest annual mean wage for veterinarians. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
State
State means range widely. Arizona shows the highest annual mean wage at $187,410. BLS reports a relative standard error of 15.7% for that figure, so it is less precise than the others. California follows at $169,860.
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $187,410 |
| California | $169,860 |
| New Jersey | $166,170 |
| Maryland | $163,830 |
| Washington | $163,010 |
The five states with the highest annual mean wage for veterinarians. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Hours per Week
BLS says most veterinarians work full time and often more than 40 hours a week. Some work nights or weekends. Extra hours lower pay per hour on a fixed salary. At the median rate of $62.55, a 45-hour week would pay $146,367.00 a year.
Production Pay
Many contracts tie part of pay to the revenue a veterinarian produces. BLS counts production bonuses and commissions as wages. Include them in base pay here. Use last year or a contract guarantee, not a hoped-for figure.
Ownership and Relief Work
Practice owners and self-employed relief veterinarians are outside the BLS wage survey. Their income is profit or contract revenue, not a wage. Self-employed veterinarians also pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare tax. The self-employment tax calculator estimates that tax.
Veterinarian Pay vs Other Health Practitioners
Veterinarians earn more than the typical health practitioner. BLS reports a median annual wage of $130,100 for veterinarians, $103,500 for all healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, and $50,980 for all occupations.
| Group | Median annual wage, May 2025 | Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | $130,100 | 9% |
| Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners | $103,500 | 9% |
| All occupations | $50,980 | 3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read on 2026-10-02.
The spread inside the profession is wide. A veterinarian at the 90th percentile earns $215,700. That is $141,780 more than one at the 10th percentile, who earns $73,920.
| Work arrangement | In the BLS wage table? | How to use this tool |
|---|---|---|
| Associate or staff veterinarian | Yes | Enter salary plus production pay as base pay. |
| Relief veterinarian paid as an employee | Yes | Enter the hourly rate, hours and weeks worked. |
| Self-employed relief veterinarian | No | The conversion works. The percentile compares you with employees. |
| Practice owner | No, for unincorporated firms | Enter only the salary the practice pays you, not profit. |
When to Use the Veterinarian Salary Calculator
Reviewing an Associate Contract
Enter the guaranteed base and the expected hours. The band shows where the guarantee sits before any production pay.
Pricing Relief Shifts
Enter an hourly rate with the hours and weeks you plan to work. In the second preset, $85.00 an hour for 30 hours over 48 weeks pays $122,400.00 a year. That rate is near the 78th percentile by the hour.
Comparing Two Offers
Use the second offer field for offers on the same schedule. For different schedules, run each offer with its own hours. The salary to hourly calculator converts a single salary quickly.
Planning Loan Payments
A veterinary degree takes 4 years after college, and many graduates carry loans. Read the gross vs net income guide to move from gross pay to take-home pay. Then the student loan true cost calculator shows what a loan costs over time.
Common Mistakes with Veterinarian Pay Comparisons
1. Leaving Production Pay Out of Base Pay
BLS wages include production bonuses. A veterinarian who enters only the guaranteed base looks underpaid against a table that counts production.
2. Entering 40 Hours for a Longer Week
A salary of $125,000 is $60.10 an hour at 40 hours and $53.42 at 45. Enter the hours you work.
3. Comparing Owner Income with the Wage Table
The survey excludes owners of unincorporated practices. Profit and salary are different things. The table describes employees.
4. Expecting a Specialty Figure
BLS has one code for all veterinarians. It publishes no separate table for emergency, equine or board-certified specialists. This page shows no specialty figure for that reason.
5. Trusting a Single State Mean
The Arizona mean of $187,410 carries a relative standard error of 15.7%. Small state samples move from year to year.
6. Reading the Percentile as Exact
BLS publishes five percentiles. The number between them is a straight-line estimate and can be off by several points.
Accuracy and Limitations
The conversion is exact arithmetic. The percentile is an estimate, because BLS publishes only five points of the wage distribution.
What it calculates accurately
- Annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly gross pay from your own figures.
- The BLS percentile band your hourly pay falls in.
- The dollar and percent gap to the BLS national median.
- The yearly difference between two offers on the same schedule.
- Pay per hour on a salary with more than 40 hours a week.
What it does not account for
- Federal, state and local tax, or any payroll deduction.
- Your state, metro area, employer, experience or specialty.
- Benefits such as health insurance, retirement match and paid leave.
- Wages after May 2025. BLS updates the survey once a year.
- Practice ownership profit, equity and buy-in terms.
- Student loan payments and licence or insurance costs.
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Keep those in the other annual pay field so the comparison stays like for like.
How We Calculate Veterinarian Pay and Percentiles
Frequently Asked Questions About Veterinarian Salaries
How much do veterinarians make a year?
Veterinarians had a median annual wage of $130,100 in May 2025, according to BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $73,920 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $215,700.
How much do veterinarians make an hour?
The median hourly wage for veterinarians was $62.55 in May 2025. The middle half earned between $48.78 and $79.87 an hour. BLS derives annual wages from these rates at 2,080 hours.
What is the average veterinarian salary in the United States?
The mean annual wage for veterinarians was $142,680 in May 2025. The median was $130,100. The mean is higher because a small share of very high wages pulls it up.
Which state pays veterinarians the most?
Arizona shows the highest annual mean wage at $187,410, with a relative standard error of 15.7%. California, New Jersey, Maryland and Washington follow, each above $163,000.
Do BLS veterinarian wages include production bonuses?
Yes. BLS wages include incentive pay such as commissions and production bonuses. They exclude overtime pay and nonproduction bonuses, for example a signing bonus.
Does the BLS figure include practice owners?
No, not owners of unincorporated practices. The wage survey excludes the self-employed and owners and partners in unincorporated firms. BLS says 7% of veterinarians are self-employed.
Why is there no specialty selector?
BLS publishes one wage table for all veterinarians. It has no separate national figures for companion animal, food animal, emergency or specialist veterinarians, so a specialty selector would need invented numbers.
Is demand for veterinarians growing?
Yes. BLS projects 9% employment growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3% for all occupations. It expects about 3,100 openings a year.
How long does it take to become a veterinarian?
A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program generally takes 4 years. Applicants typically hold a bachelor degree first. Every state also requires a licence.
Why does the calculator not show take-home pay?
Take-home pay depends on your tax filing status, state and deductions, and this tool does not estimate tax. It shows gross pay only, so every figure can be checked against your contract or pay stub.
Is my pay information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The Save button stores a result only on your own device.
Sources
- BLS OEWS Profiles, May 2025 national estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Select 29-1131 Veterinarians. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Veterinarians (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Duties, education, employers, pay by industry and 2025 to 2035 outlook. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS technical notes for the May 2025 OEWS estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Who the survey covers and what counts as a wage, including production bonuses. Read 2026-10-02.)
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Explore all career calculatorsThis veterinarian salary calculator gives an estimate for planning. It uses BLS survey data, not a pay offer, and it is not financial, tax or career advice. BLS figures are national estimates for May 2025, read on 2026-10-02. All amounts are gross pay before tax. Confirm pay with the employer before you decide. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
