Pay, location & work-life context
Veterinarian Salary Map by State (2026)
Median veterinarian pay across 45 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $120,000.
Highest median
Hawaii
$170,000
Best real purchasing power
Hawaii
$154,614 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Maine
6.0/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Veterinarian pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $170,000 | $154,614 | $137,607 | 2.0/10 | 8 |
| California | $142,500 | $128,703 | $116,734 | 3.8/10 | 552 |
| New Jersey | $136,900 | $125,821 | $117,807 | 4.8/10 | 200 |
| Idaho | $136,900 | $143,360 | $135,195 | 5.9/10 | 11 |
| Washington | $135,000 | $126,153 | $126,153 | 4.7/10 | 217 |
| New York | $130,000 | $120,458 | $112,207 | 4.3/10 | 377 |
| Missouri | $130,000 | $143,145 | $136,417 | 4.1/10 | 47 |
| West Virginia | $130,000 | $145,256 | $138,255 | 2.4/10 | 8 |
| Texas | $127,500 | $131,366 | $131,366 | 3.4/10 | 149 |
| Maryland | $125,000 | $119,094 | $112,246 | 3.5/10 | 111 |
| Maine | $125,000 | $128,800 | $119,590 | 6.0/10 | 10 |
| Minnesota | $125,000 | $126,748 | $114,263 | 4.9/10 | 88 |
| Illinois | $124,450 | $124,502 | $118,339 | 4.6/10 | 180 |
| Iowa | $122,720 | $139,833 | $134,519 | 3.9/10 | 13 |
| Arkansas | $122,500 | $140,907 | $135,411 | 4.7/10 | 11 |
| Kansas | $120,000 | $133,233 | $125,798 | 5.2/10 | 7 |
| Michigan | $118,750 | $123,419 | $118,174 | 3.7/10 | 99 |
| Massachusetts | $118,750 | $112,286 | $106,671 | 4.1/10 | 189 |
| Virginia | $118,750 | $117,453 | $110,700 | 4.7/10 | 99 |
| Colorado | $118,750 | $115,233 | $110,163 | 4.4/10 | 132 |
| Tennessee | $118,750 | $129,259 | $129,259 | 3.4/10 | 23 |
| Rhode Island | $118,750 | $116,103 | $109,148 | 3.3/10 | 28 |
| Georgia | $118,750 | $123,322 | $116,674 | 3.2/10 | 60 |
| New Mexico | $118,750 | $128,779 | $121,181 | 3.7/10 | 32 |
| Nevada | $118,750 | $118,775 | $118,775 | 3.8/10 | 60 |
| Connecticut | $118,750 | $114,612 | $106,601 | 3.7/10 | 62 |
| Arizona | $118,750 | $117,951 | $115,003 | 4.2/10 | 87 |
| New Hampshire | $118,500 | $113,762 | $113,762 | 4.1/10 | 26 |
| Alaska | $117,500 | $114,792 | $114,792 | 3.3/10 | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | $115,000 | $117,862 | $114,243 | 3.5/10 | 194 |
| Utah | $115,000 | $116,321 | $111,029 | 4.6/10 | 51 |
| Kentucky | $115,000 | $127,552 | $122,450 | 2.6/10 | 24 |
| Oregon | $110,000 | $106,423 | $95,887 | 5.2/10 | 59 |
| Mississippi | $105,000 | $120,755 | $115,442 | 2.2/10 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | $97,500 | $110,993 | $105,721 | 3.1/10 | 45 |
| Florida | $92,500 | $89,446 | $89,446 | 3.8/10 | 305 |
| North Carolina | $92,500 | $98,064 | $93,896 | 4.3/10 | 114 |
| Ohio | $92,500 | $99,705 | $96,215 | 4.0/10 | 138 |
| Wisconsin | $92,500 | $98,305 | $93,095 | 3.6/10 | 82 |
| South Carolina | $92,500 | $98,668 | $92,550 | 3.9/10 | 81 |
| Nebraska | $92,500 | $102,660 | $97,322 | 2.9/10 | 15 |
| Indiana | $92,500 | $99,112 | $96,138 | 3.7/10 | 23 |
| Alabama | $92,500 | $104,140 | $98,933 | 3.1/10 | 24 |
| Delaware | $92,500 | $92,678 | $86,561 | 2.9/10 | 12 |
| Louisiana | $92,500 | $104,867 | $101,721 | 3.9/10 | 20 |
Common questions
Which state pays veterinarians the most?
Hawaii currently has the highest median veterinarian salary at $170,000, based on 8 real job listings.
Which state offers the best after-tax veterinarian pay?
West Virginia currently leads the take-home view at $138,255 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust veterinarian salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best veterinarian lifestyle scores?
Maine currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (6.0/10, higher is better) for veterinarian listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Veterinarian salary page.