Veterinarian Salary Survey
United States - Below
USA
January 2025 Update
Attracting, developing, and retaining top veterinary talent is more challenging than ever. While fair pay and benefits are still crucial, they’re just part of the picture. Today’s veterinary professionals – Veterinarians, Nurses, and Technicians – are looking for the whole package. This includes competitive salaries, of course, but also flexible schedules, a supportive team environment, and a real commitment to work-life balance. Getting this mix right is your key to building a strong, satisfied, and lasting veterinary team…
Explore our latest January 2025 Veterinarian Salary Survey for the USA…
Find your next job…the Fresh Way
[ Scroll to the end of the page to learn about our Methodology ]
United States – January 2025
Six-Month Trend Analysis (July 2024 to January 2025):
- Low Range Median: Increased from $96,000 to $98,000, showing a 2.1% rise
- Mid Range Median: Growth from $141,000 to $144,000, representing a 2.1% increase
- High Range Median: Slight increase from $182,000 to $183,000, indicating a 0.5% rise
Annual Comparison (January 2024 to January 2025):
- Low Range Median: Strong growth from $91,000 to $98,000, a 7.7% increase
- Mid Range Median: Solid increase from $135,000 to $144,000, showing 6.7% growth
- High Range Median: Growth from $173,000 to $183,000, representing a 5.8% increase
Market Insights: The US veterinary market demonstrates continued strength, with particularly robust growth in entry-level and mid-range positions. The steady progression toward the $100,000 mark for entry-level salaries reflects the industry’s ongoing commitment to attracting new talent. The consistent growth across all salary ranges indicates a healthy, competitive market that values both new graduates and experienced professionals.
Expectations for the Next 12 Months:
- Entry-level salaries will break through the $100,000 barrier, likely settling around $102,000-$104,000
- Mid-range compensation will continue its steady climb, potentially reaching $148,000-$150,000
- High-range salaries will see moderate growth, possibly reaching $188,000-$190,000
The US veterinary sector shows sustained market strength entering 2025, albeit with a more measured pace of growth that suggests increasing market maturity. While the dramatic increases seen in 2023-2024 have given way to more moderate gains, this reflects a natural evolution toward sustainability rather than any loss of market vigor. The consistent upward trajectory across all salary ranges indicates a stable, well-functioning market that continues to offer attractive opportunities for veterinary professionals. This more sustainable growth pattern allows employers to plan their compensation strategies with greater confidence while maintaining their ability to compete for top talent.
United States – July 2024
Trend Analysis – January 2023 to July 2024:
- Low Range Median: Dramatic increase from $68,863 (Jan ’23) to $96,000 (Jul ’24), an impressive 39.4% jump over 18 months.
- Mid Range Median: Strong growth from $123,817 (Jan ’23) to $141,000 (Jul ’24), a solid 13.9% increase.
- High Range Median: Slight increase from $180,767 (Jan ’23) to $182,000 (Jul ’24), a 0.7% growth.
Potential Expectations for the Next 12 Months:
- The low range will likely continue to grow, potentially reaching $100,000-$105,000.
- Mid range salaries will maintain their upward trend, possibly hitting $145,000-$150,000.
- High range compensation will likely see more significant growth to balance with other ranges, potentially reaching $190,000-$195,000.
Conclusion:
The US veterinary job market shows exceptional dynamism, particularly in entry-level and mid-range positions. The dramatic rise in low range salaries (39.4% over 18 months) clearly indicates a strong push to attract new talent to the field. The solid growth in mid-range salaries underscores the high value placed on experienced professionals. While the high range has seen slower growth, the most recent data suggests a potential uptick. The US veterinary sector is clearly in a robust growth phase, with a strong focus on building and retaining a skilled workforce across all experience levels. This trend creates excellent opportunities for both new graduates and experienced professionals, while also challenging employers to remain competitive in their compensation packages.
United States – January 2024
Trend Analysis – January 2022 to January 2024:
- From January 2022 to January 2024, we observe a notable increase across all salary brackets.
- The low-end salary sees a substantial rise from $65,000 in January 2022 to $91,000 by January 2024, reflecting a significant improvement in the minimum salary offerings in the veterinary field.
- The average salary increases from $104,000 to $135,000 in the same period, indicating a healthy growth trend in compensation for veterinary professionals.
- The high-end salary shows an increase from $156,000 in January 2022 to a peak of $181,000 by January 2023, before slightly decreasing to $173,000 by January 2024.
Potential Expectations for the Next 12 Months:
- Continued Growth in Low and Average Salaries: The substantial increase in low-end salaries suggests a shift in the market to attract and retain talent, possibly due to increased demand for veterinary services or a shortage of professionals. This trend is likely to continue, with both low and average salaries expected to rise as the industry competes for skilled veterinarians.
- High-End Salary Fluctuation: The slight decrease in high-end salaries from July 2023 to January 2024 might indicate a market correction after a peak or a stabilization in the demand for highly specialized or experienced professionals. However, given the overall growth trend, high-end salaries may continue to adjust but remain competitive to attract top talent.
- Market Influences: External factors, such as economic recovery, inflation rates, and changes in pet ownership patterns, could influence salary trends. An increase in demand for veterinary services, driven by continued pet adoption and attention to animal health, may further propel salary growth.
Conclusion:
The veterinarian salary trend in the USA & Canada region from January 2020 to January 2024 showcases a positive trajectory, especially for the low and average salary brackets. The slight adjustment in high-end salaries suggests a dynamic market responding to various factors. For the next 12 months, the expectation is a continued upward trend in salaries, moderated by market demand, economic conditions, and industry developments. Employers in the veterinary field should remain attentive to these trends to ensure competitive compensation packages that reflect the value and expertise of veterinary professionals.
United States – July 2023
United States – January 2023
United States – July 2022
United States – January 2022
United States – July 2021
United States – January 2021
United States – July 2020
United States – January 2020
Methodology
About Our USA Veterinarian Salary Survey
We compile this survey twice yearly, in January and July, to give you a snapshot of the veterinary job market. Our data comes from a mix of public sources and our own research, offering a broad view of salary trends for both employers and job seekers.
Keep in mind that these figures are averages and don’t account for individual factors like specific qualifications, years of experience, areas of expertise, or location. Think of it as a starting point for understanding the market rather than a definitive guide for any particular role.
Understanding the Salary Ranges
Our data focuses on General Practice, Small Animal Veterinarians in their early career stage (1-3 years of experience). For a more comprehensive picture, consider these adjustments for different roles and experience levels:
- More Experienced Vets (3+ years): Add 25%+ to the figures
- Surgery-Focused Roles: Increase by 35% or more
- Specialty Fields: For roles in Emergency, Referral, Surgical, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, and other specialties, expect salaries to be 50% higher or more
About Veterinary Jobs Marketplace…
We connect veterinary talent with the best veterinary jobs. Explore our Job Campaigns for GP Veterinarians, Emergency Vets, Veterinary Nurses, Technicians, and more, each enriched with video insights. Find new team members using our unique Reach, Frequency, and Story strategy, now including One-to-One Outreach.
For Job Seekers: Discover your ideal veterinary jobs in cities across the USA and Canada. Register for custom Job Alerts, bringing the latest opportunities directly to your Inbox.
For Employers: Register to reach skilled veterinary professionals for your practice. From GP Veterinarians to Emergency Vets, our Job Campaigns help you find the perfect team members.
Worldwide Audience: Expand your reach internationally to the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Our global reach will connect you to our global veterinary community.
Note: Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, Talent.com, and ERI – Economic Research Institute are business entities that publish publicly available information about salary data. We present these publicly available materials in fair use in a single location together with our own data as research to advance the understanding of the range of salary levels for Veterinarians in the United States. These business entities have not endorsed this Veterinarian Salary Survey nor any implication that may or may not be derived from the materials.
