Associate Veterinarian
Listed compensation
$120k-$180k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Company Description
High Desert Animal Care Hospital, located in the beautiful Palmdale, CA area, is a fast-paced small animal practice! For over 30 years, we’ve been providing exceptional care to our local patients—from routine check-ups to complex surgeries—handling everything from urgent walk-ins to challenging cases.
Whether it’s diving into a busy day of appointments, tackling new challenges, or learning and growing as a team, we’re always in it together. If you’re ready to join a dedicated, fun-loving team that looks forward to coming to work every day, this is the place for you!
Why Join Us?
- Thriving culture: Our close-knit staff enjoys a positive work environment and fun dynamic
- Strong support staff: Our DVMs love having a support staff that is highly trained with tenured team members
Benefits
We offer DVMs extensive benefits including a sign-on bonus, relocation assistance, student loan reimbursement, future ownership opportunities, etc.!
Services Include: Routine Care, Dentistry, In-House Diagnostics, Cold Laser Therapy, Digital X-Rays, Ultrasounds, Complete Surgical Suite, etc. Learn more about our hospital here.
Visit Our Website to Learn More!
Our Palmdale and Antelope Valley veterinarian office is very easy to get to and is about an hour outside of Hollywood, CA. Palmdale truly has something for everyone! Whether you're exploring scenic parks, hiking trails, or enjoying live music and delicious dining, there's always something to do. Plus, you're just a short drive from LA's dynamic city scene, breathtaking beaches, and snowy mountain peaks perfect for skiing.
Job Description
- Full Time, Part-Time or Relief Veterinarian
- Proficient in general medicine, surgery and dentistry
We Offer Our Veterinarians
Flexible Scheduling & Medical Autonomy
- Comprehensive Benefits (paid vacation/sick time/holidays, health, dental, vision, liability, 401K, life & supplemental insurance, employee assistance program & personal pet care discounts)
- Future Ownership Opportunities
- Competitive Compensation
- DVM Mentor Network
Paid CE Allowance & Professional Dues
A Network of Support: Backed by a powerful network named one of Inc.'s Best Workplaces 2025!
Salary Range can vary from $120,000 to $180,000. Determining factor is solely based off experience, qualifications, schedule, compensation structure, and is subjected to change per applicable candidate.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Veterinary degree, or equivalent, from an accredited university
- Active veterinary state license, ability to obtain one
- Current DEA License preferred but not required
- USDA Accreditation preferred but not required
- Additional Information
We Are a DRUG-Free, Equal Opportunity Employer.
Company Policy & Federal & State Laws Forbid Discrimination Because of Age, Color, Race, Religion, Sex, Disability, Sexual Orientation or National Origin.
For additional details including our full equal opportunity statement, texting/outreach communication authorization, physical requirements of the job and more, please visit allianceanimal.com.
Key Responsibilities
Provide exceptional veterinary care including routine check-ups, complex surgeries, and urgent care for small animals. Collaborate with a dedicated support staff to manage appointments and challenging medical cases.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Veterinary Medicine Career Context
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$150k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $136k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 49 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 71% have no call, 47% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $120k–$180k | Veterinary Medicine median $165k (middle half $150k–$185k)71 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$136k in purchasing power | California index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Veterinary Medicine listings in California | 260 active | 3,116 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 71% no call · 47% no weekends49 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | loan repayment | California healthcare professional listings: 37% state a sign-on bonus (median $38k) · 13% offer loan repayment379 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Veterinary Medicine listings | 998 in the last 30 days | 523 the 30 days before (+91%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Veterinary Medicine pay trend | +3.7% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
Top Veterinarian Jobs
22 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution
22 jobs · 14 employersAnnual compensation range
Benefits & Perks
21 jobs · 14 employersShare of similar jobs offering each benefit
Veterinarian Medical Leader
PETCO Animal Supplies Stores · Folsom, California
Hospital Medical Leader - Veterinarian
PETCO Animal Supplies Stores · Los Angeles, California
Hospital Veterinarian
$104k-$220kAssociate Veterinarian
$160k-$210kWork-life snapshot
Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,130 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.
Benefits & Perks
Living in Palmdale
- Typical 3-bedroom home value
- $455k≈ 3.8× annual pay
- Typical market rent
- $2,780/mo≈ 28% of gross pay
- Residents’ average commute
- 40 min
- Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
- 113.6
- State income tax
- Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology
Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.
BEA 2024 · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.
Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.