Healthcare · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Veterinarian (2025)

The median Veterinarian salary is $208,080 in San Francisco, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Phoenix, AZ offers the best purchasing power at $159,940 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Veterinarian, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Veterinarian relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$133,716

National Median

$208,080

Highest City

$98,240

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Francisco, CA	$208,080	$89,130, $295,420	179.6	$115,857	1,350
2	San Jose, CA	$192,160	$83,370, $323,260	195.8	$98,141	350
3	Sacramento, CA	$165,260	$87,220, $294,620	124.7	$132,526	830
4	Seattle, WA	$163,810	$99,260, $274,030	149.4	$109,645	1,330
5	Baltimore, MD	$162,930	$103,830, $211,500	114.2	$142,671	700
6	Phoenix, AZ	$161,060	$82,580, $304,630	100.7	$159,940	1,480
7	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$160,860	$82,240, $273,210	122.4	$131,422	660
8	Los Angeles, CA	$160,080	$67,410, $284,050	166	$96,434	2,740
9	San Diego, CA	$159,750	$67,540, $276,230	160.2	$99,719	1,080
10	Minneapolis, MN	$158,200	$86,560, $218,830	106.2	$148,964	1,470
11	Fresno, CA	$157,460	$70,610, $246,540	105.5	$149,251	170
12	New York, NY	$156,150	$101,450, $293,790	187.2	$83,413	3,150
13	Washington, DC	$154,350	$79,360, $271,770	152.8	$101,014	1,740
14	Spokane, WA	$151,820	$91,580, $211,450	97.4	$155,873	160
15	Bakersfield, CA	$150,780	$61,270, $276,250	100.6	$149,881	100
16	Chicago, IL	$148,730	$80,770, $289,310	107.3	$138,611	1,530
17	Albuquerque, NM	$140,200	$90,990, $222,390	94	$149,149	240
18	Philadelphia, PA	$139,810	$89,130, $281,730	118.4	$118,083	1,790
19	Boston, MA	$138,900	$83,230, $281,100	152.1	$91,321	1,540
20	Denver, CO	$135,090	$86,250, $217,950	112.8	$119,761	1,160
21	Jacksonville, FL	$133,810	$63,050, $211,980	95.1	$140,705	470
22	Dallas, TX	$133,550	$85,660, $209,210	104.1	$128,290	1,760
23	Austin, TX	$133,250	$85,340, $211,770	103	$129,369	700
24	Orlando, FL	$132,440	$62,430, $205,710	103.1	$128,458	570
25	Houston, TX	$132,280	$81,390, $207,660	96.5	$137,078	1,340
26	Portland, OR	$131,720	$83,670, $218,900	130.1	$101,245	1,010
27	Albany, NY	$131,680	$97,550, $233,310	100.7	$130,765	280
28	Tucson, AZ	$131,540	$76,890, $230,150	95.4	$137,883	250
29	Tampa, FL	$131,190	$62,400, $207,920	99.6	$131,717	1,060
30	Des Moines, IA	$130,900	$80,190, $171,590	93.3	$140,300	210
31	Raleigh, NC	$130,350	$79,830, $213,960	99.8	$130,611	520
32	Bridgeport, CT	$129,940	$46,960, $236,790	137.5	$94,502	270
33	Greensboro, NC	$129,910	$77,790, $207,090	91.3	$142,289	180
34	Miami, FL	$129,890	$62,100, $212,180	123.1	$105,516	1,150
35	Detroit, MI	$129,730	$74,450, $202,500	95.1	$136,414	710
36	Providence, RI	$129,390	$102,960, $199,240	119.4	$108,367	520
37	Charlotte, NC	$129,080	$78,940, $214,370	96.7	$133,485	750
38	Atlanta, GA	$128,980	$76,590, $167,620	99.2	$130,020	1,610
39	San Antonio, TX	$128,550	$80,620, $202,960	91.5	$140,492	550
40	New Orleans, LA	$128,360	$71,230, $169,070	95.9	$133,848	200
41	Pittsburgh, PA	$128,290	$90,470, $291,150	92.3	$138,992	640
42	Indianapolis, IN	$127,850	$64,500, $169,810	90.1	$141,898	520
43	Cincinnati, OH	$127,670	$57,870, $209,000	91.2	$139,989	650
44	Rochester, NY	$127,580	$93,010, $200,440	92.9	$137,330	200
45	Buffalo, NY	$127,500	$92,700, $203,870	92.5	$137,838	230
46	Boise, ID	$127,410	$70,720, $169,080	102.1	$124,789	260
47	Colorado Springs, CO	$126,790	$77,370, $202,740	104.5	$121,330	280
48	Nashville, TN	$126,230	$104,190, $166,120	100.3	$125,852	500
49	Hartford, CT	$125,750	$55,980, $214,610	112.6	$111,679	320
50	Las Vegas, NV	$125,640	$98,860, $189,620	109	$115,266	480
51	Reno, NV	$125,530	$100,010, $171,080	106.5	$117,869	150
52	Memphis, TN	$125,130	$100,750, $174,260	84	$148,964	310
53	Anchorage, AK	$124,810	$104,030, $471,360	127	$98,276	110
54	Greenville, SC	$123,920	$47,470, $177,710	90.1	$137,536	320
55	Salt Lake City, UT	$123,520	$79,880, $216,310	101.4	$121,815	290
56	Columbus, OH	$123,270	$47,990, $208,390	93.1	$132,406	850
57	Kansas City, MO	$122,490	$76,910, $199,910	95.4	$128,396	750
58	St. Louis, MO	$122,460	$74,680, $195,480	90	$136,067	810
59	Richmond, VA	$121,670	$81,070, $216,120	102.1	$119,167	420
60	Knoxville, TN	$121,160	$100,470, $170,290	90.3	$134,175	260
61	Milwaukee, WI	$117,780	$80,210, $161,240	97.4	$120,924	430
62	Madison, WI	$115,210	$82,080, $161,870	103.8	$110,992	420
63	Lexington, KY	$109,050	$50,660, $214,870	91.3	$119,441	330
64	Louisville, KY	$108,000	$44,200, $167,890	90.2	$119,734	360
65	Little Rock, AR	$107,330	$38,000, $148,520	88.2	$121,689	120
66	Omaha, NE	$107,280	$71,310, $174,060	91.8	$116,863	300
67	Birmingham, AL	$106,890	$77,990, $176,330	90.4	$118,241	310
68	Wichita, KS	$104,930	$78,880, $205,400	84	$124,917	170
69	Oklahoma City, OK	$98,750	$51,710, $201,800	86.5	$114,162	450
70	Tulsa, OK	$98,240	$52,180, $156,460	86.8	$113,180	330

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Veterinarian paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Phoenix, AZ	$159,940	$161,060	100.7
2	Spokane, WA	$155,873	$151,820	97.4
3	Bakersfield, CA	$149,881	$150,780	100.6
4	Fresno, CA	$149,251	$157,460	105.5
5	Albuquerque, NM	$149,149	$140,200	94
6	Minneapolis, MN	$148,964	$158,200	106.2
7	Memphis, TN	$148,964	$125,130	84
8	Baltimore, MD	$142,671	$162,930	114.2
9	Greensboro, NC	$142,289	$129,910	91.3
10	Indianapolis, IN	$141,898	$127,850	90.1
11	Jacksonville, FL	$140,705	$133,810	95.1
12	San Antonio, TX	$140,492	$128,550	91.5
13	Des Moines, IA	$140,300	$130,900	93.3
14	Cincinnati, OH	$139,989	$127,670	91.2
15	Pittsburgh, PA	$138,992	$128,290	92.3
16	Chicago, IL	$138,611	$148,730	107.3
17	Tucson, AZ	$137,883	$131,540	95.4
18	Buffalo, NY	$137,838	$127,500	92.5
19	Greenville, SC	$137,536	$123,920	90.1
20	Rochester, NY	$137,330	$127,580	92.9
21	Houston, TX	$137,078	$132,280	96.5
22	Detroit, MI	$136,414	$129,730	95.1
23	St. Louis, MO	$136,067	$122,460	90
24	Knoxville, TN	$134,175	$121,160	90.3
25	New Orleans, LA	$133,848	$128,360	95.9
26	Charlotte, NC	$133,485	$129,080	96.7
27	Sacramento, CA	$132,526	$165,260	124.7
28	Columbus, OH	$132,406	$123,270	93.1
29	Tampa, FL	$131,717	$131,190	99.6
30	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$131,422	$160,860	122.4
31	Albany, NY	$130,765	$131,680	100.7
32	Raleigh, NC	$130,611	$130,350	99.8
33	Atlanta, GA	$130,020	$128,980	99.2
34	Austin, TX	$129,369	$133,250	103
35	Orlando, FL	$128,458	$132,440	103.1
36	Kansas City, MO	$128,396	$122,490	95.4
37	Dallas, TX	$128,290	$133,550	104.1
38	Nashville, TN	$125,852	$126,230	100.3
39	Wichita, KS	$124,917	$104,930	84
40	Boise, ID	$124,789	$127,410	102.1
41	Salt Lake City, UT	$121,815	$123,520	101.4
42	Little Rock, AR	$121,689	$107,330	88.2
43	Colorado Springs, CO	$121,330	$126,790	104.5
44	Milwaukee, WI	$120,924	$117,780	97.4
45	Denver, CO	$119,761	$135,090	112.8
46	Louisville, KY	$119,734	$108,000	90.2
47	Lexington, KY	$119,441	$109,050	91.3
48	Richmond, VA	$119,167	$121,670	102.1
49	Birmingham, AL	$118,241	$106,890	90.4
50	Philadelphia, PA	$118,083	$139,810	118.4
51	Reno, NV	$117,869	$125,530	106.5
52	Omaha, NE	$116,863	$107,280	91.8
53	San Francisco, CA	$115,857	$208,080	179.6
54	Las Vegas, NV	$115,266	$125,640	109
55	Oklahoma City, OK	$114,162	$98,750	86.5
56	Tulsa, OK	$113,180	$98,240	86.8
57	Hartford, CT	$111,679	$125,750	112.6
58	Madison, WI	$110,992	$115,210	103.8
59	Seattle, WA	$109,645	$163,810	149.4
60	Providence, RI	$108,367	$129,390	119.4
61	Miami, FL	$105,516	$129,890	123.1
62	Portland, OR	$101,245	$131,720	130.1
63	Washington, DC	$101,014	$154,350	152.8
64	San Diego, CA	$99,719	$159,750	160.2
65	Anchorage, AK	$98,276	$124,810	127
66	San Jose, CA	$98,141	$192,160	195.8
67	Los Angeles, CA	$96,434	$160,080	166
68	Bridgeport, CT	$94,502	$129,940	137.5
69	Boston, MA	$91,321	$138,900	152.1
70	New York, NY	$83,413	$156,150	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Francisco, CA pays the highest median Veterinarian salary at $208,080. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Phoenix, AZ offers the most purchasing power at $159,940 adjusted.

The national median Veterinarian salary is $133,716 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $98,240 to $208,080 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.