Veterinarian - Tacoma, WA
Listed compensation
$140k-$150k
The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Friday3-day week
Ask the employer about the work setting and nights and shift pattern.
Job Description
Who We Are
Veterinarian – Lead General Practitioner – Tacoma, WA
Ready to take the lead on a thriving GP caseload?
Commencement Bay Animal Hospital is adding a GP-focused Veterinarian to partner with our Chief of Staff, Dr. Melissa Moss-Horton, who runs the Urgent Care side of our practice. You’ll own the wellness, surgery, and dentistry cases while collaborating with a fun, supportive crew in a fully equipped hospital.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Leading the GP side of the practice — from puppy/kitten visits to senior pet care
- Performing surgeries and dentistry with top-notch tools and tech
- Collaborating with skilled LVTs, Assistants, and leadership who make your job easier
Using Modern Diagnostics
- Digital & dental radiography
- Ultrasound
In-house Lab
Working in a spacious, well-organized treatment area with all the toys you need to do your best work
Well-balanced Scheduling
- No weekends, late hours, or on call
- Tuesday thru Friday, with Friday being a one-doctor day
- 1 procedure day (mix of dental and surgery) and 3 appointment days
- Open to doing morning procedures and afternoon appointments
- We are also open to a 3-day work week, Tuesday thru Thursday
Location Highlights
- Part of Tacoma’s vibrant 6th Avenue community — great food, drinks, and music just steps away
- Easy access to mountains, coast, and everything outdoorsy
- Close to Seattle & Olympia but without the overwhelming traffic chaos
- A city rich in art, history, and waterfront beauty
Compensation & Benefits
- Base salary: $140,000 - $150,000 (depending on schedule and experience)
- Quarterly production bonus — no negative accrual
- Signing and/or relocation bonus
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with match
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
- Paid parental leave
- $2,500 CE allowance + CE time off
- Paid vacation, license dues, liability coverage, and more!
If you’re a compassionate, collaborative veterinarian looking for a practice that lets you shine, choose your path with us at Commencement Bay Animal Hospital.
Key Responsibilities
The veterinarian will lead the general practice side of the hospital, managing wellness, surgery, and dentistry cases. They will collaborate with a support team to provide high-quality care using modern diagnostic tools.
Requirements
The candidate must be a compassionate and collaborative veterinarian capable of performing surgeries and dentistry. Experience in a general practice setting is expected to manage the caseload effectively.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Veterinary Medicine Career Context
In Washington, the Veterinary Medicine weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$140k (58 salary observations; 228 listings), vs ~$140k nationally (873 salary observations; 7,060 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
The cost-of-living index for Washington is 107.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$145k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $136k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Washington clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 8.7 / 10 · top 5% in veterinary medicine | ranked against 3,083 Veterinary Medicine listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $140k–$150k | Veterinary Medicine median $145k (middle half $132k–$155k)27 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Washington vs national | $140k median in Washington | $140k nationally (about the same)58 state / 873 national salary observations |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$136k in purchasing power | Washington index 107.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Veterinary Medicine listings in Washington | 111 active | 3,340 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 70% no call · 59% no weekends46 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | sign-on bonus | Washington healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 45% state a sign-on bonus · 5% offer loan repayment163 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Veterinary Medicine listings | 1,266 in the last 30 days | 492 the 30 days before (+157%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Veterinary Medicine pay trend | +3.7% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
| Vet Cor | #7 of 12 for pay | Top Employers work-life index |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Veterinarian - Tacoma, WA at Vet Cor a 8.7 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% in Veterinary Medicine — ranked against 3,083 active Veterinary Medicine listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.
Location & Logistics
Washington has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$145k midpoint, that is roughly $6k–$10k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
Top Veterinarian Jobs
16 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution
16 jobs · 13 employersAnnual compensation range
Benefits & Perks
16 jobs · 13 employersShare of similar jobs offering each benefit
Hospital Medical Leader - Veterinarian
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$130k-$170kVeterinarian - Port Orchard, WA
$130k-$170kWork-life snapshot
Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,083 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.
- No weekends
- Includes call
About Vet Cor
Benefits & Perks
Living in Tacoma
- Typical 3-bedroom home value
- $483k≈ 3.4× annual pay
- Typical market rent
- $1,773/mo≈ 15% of gross pay
- Residents’ average commute
- 29 min
- Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
- 111.1
- State income tax
- None
Sources & methodology
Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.
BEA 2024 · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.
Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.