Veterinarians: Career Profile
Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.
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What Do Veterinarians Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of veterinarians span:
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
- Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options.
Skills and Knowledge
Top veterinarians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Veterinarians Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Animal Anatomist
- Animal Chiropractor
- Animal Doctor
- Animal Pathologist
- Animal Physiologist
- Animal Surgeon
- Companion Animal Practitioner
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 2,809,076 veterinarians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +13.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Veterinarians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $53,196 |
| Hourly median | $25.58 |
| 10th percentile | $33,747 |
| 25th percentile | $43,471 |
| 75th percentile | $62,920 |
| 90th percentile | $72,645 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Veterinarians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $158,950 |
| Washington | $155,060 |
| District of Columbia | $153,200 |
| New Jersey | $148,550 |
| West Virginia | $134,290 |
| Vermont | $134,240 |
| Arizona | $132,810 |
| Massachusetts | $131,500 |
| New York | $131,330 |
| Florida | $131,170 |
| Connecticut | $130,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $129,510 |
| New Hampshire | $128,890 |
| Illinois | $128,290 |
| Rhode Island | $126,860 |
| South Carolina | $126,720 |
| New Mexico | $126,710 |
| Tennessee | $125,420 |
| Virginia | $124,110 |
| Maine | $124,070 |
| North Carolina | $123,430 |
| Ohio | $123,140 |
| Colorado | $122,980 |
| Utah | $121,850 |
| Nevada | $121,720 |
| Texas | $121,220 |
| Louisiana | $120,630 |
| Missouri | $119,640 |
| Indiana | $119,230 |
| Minnesota | $117,340 |
| Georgia | $115,220 |
| Michigan | $112,320 |
| Idaho | $106,080 |
| Wisconsin | $104,440 |
| Oregon | $102,910 |
| Hawaii | $102,730 |
| Kansas | $102,510 |
| Mississippi | $101,300 |
| Iowa | $100,910 |
| Arkansas | $100,820 |
| North Dakota | $99,490 |
| Kentucky | $98,210 |
| Alabama | $98,060 |
| Oklahoma | $96,360 |
| Wyoming | $95,400 |
| South Dakota | $89,970 |
| Nebraska | $83,710 |
| Montana | $82,340 |
| Puerto Rico | $76,190 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for veterinarians differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $145,978 | 16.5% | 1.01 |
| New England | $129,982 | 5.6% | 1.27 |
| Southeast | $120,956 | 26.2% | 1.07 |
| Southwest | $120,545 | 10.8% | 0.86 |
| Great Lakes | $118,874 | 14.2% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $114,664 | 5.2% | 1.42 |
| Middle Atlantic | $113,410 | 12.1% | 0.83 |
| Plains States | $108,551 | 9.3% | 1.34 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Veterinarians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $187,990 | 1,220 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $179,080 | 30 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $175,050 | 340 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $168,330 | 90 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | VT | $165,060 | 140 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $164,220 | 100 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $163,380 | 210 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $162,040 | 270 |
Top Industries Employing Veterinarians
The largest employers of veterinarians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 73,060 | $125,580 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,300 | $124,840 |
| Educational Services | 1,160 | $133,790 |
| Retail Trade | 530 | $138,040 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 330 | $102,870 |
| Wholesale Trade | 320 | $172,130 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 180 | $110,190 |
| Manufacturing | 80 | $162,380 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for veterinarians reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Long)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
- General Internal Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- Neurologists (Supplemental)
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring veterinarians commonly pursue programs in:
21 programs across 1 majors
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
13 programs across 2 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1131.00 (Veterinarians).
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