Veterinarian Salary in Tennessee: $134,000 Average

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Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary, Tennessee

$134,000 / year

≈ $11,150 per month · $64.42 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Tennessee · median $128,500

25th percentile
$108,500Average
$134,00075th percentile
$157,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Veterinarian salary by state

Alabama$124,500

Arizona$194,000

Arkansas$112,000

California$176,000

Colorado$142,000

Connecticut$144,000

District of Columbia$166,000

Florida$144,500

Georgia$132,500

Hawaii$133,500

Idaho$122,000

Illinois$159,000

Indiana$131,500

Iowa$126,500

Kansas$121,500

Kentucky$116,500

Louisiana$129,500

Maine$141,500

Maryland$169,500

Massachusetts$163,000

Michigan$132,500

Minnesota$151,500

Mississippi$118,500

Missouri$130,000

Montana$116,500

Nebraska$128,000

Nevada$145,500

New Hampshire$150,000

New Jersey$172,000

New Mexico$143,500

New York$157,000

North Carolina$141,000

North Dakota$112,000

Ohio$134,500

Oklahoma$128,000

Oregon$138,000

Pennsylvania$160,000

Rhode Island$138,500

South Carolina$130,500

South Dakota$97,500

Tennessee$134,000

Texas$143,000

Utah$144,500

Vermont$150,000

Virginia$148,000

Washington$168,500

West Virginia$132,000

Wisconsin$123,000

Wyoming$109,000

About this role

Veterinarian is a professional role within the function in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Veterinarians do

Typical education: Doctoral Degree

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.

Top skills: Reading Comprehension Active Listening Active Learning Speaking Science Judgment and Decision Making

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Veterinarian pay by experience level

Entry level$76,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$105,000

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$134,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$172,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$223,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+9.6%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

3,000

projected openings per year

Growing faster than average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Veterinarian salary by industry

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

75,700 workers

$148,000

Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

75,210 workers

$148,000

Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

1,910 workers

$127,500

Personal and Laundry Services

1,290 workers

$148,500

Other Personal Services

1,280 workers

$149,000

Educational Services

1,090 workers

$150,500

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools

1,070 workers

$150,500

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

990 workers

$141,500

Social Advocacy Organizations

980 workers

$141,500

Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)

900 workers

$119,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Veterinarian pays 9% below the average across 91 roles in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family (family average $162,000).

Similar-paying roles in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Optometrist$146,500

Anesthesiologist Assistant$146,000

Nurse Practitioner$142,000

Medical Dosimetrist$153,500

Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$132,000

Radiation Therapist$119,000

Podiatrist$181,500

Physical Therapist$109,000

Genetic Counselor$108,500

Acute Care Nurse$105,000

Careers related to Veterinarian

Emergency Medicine Physician$328,500

Urologist$271,000

Physicians, Pathologists$295,500

Dermatologist$335,000

General Internal Medicine Physician$276,500

Pediatricians, General$219,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Veterinarian make?

The average base salary for a Veterinarian in the United States is $147,500 per year, or about $70.91 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $105,000 and $172,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical roles?

The Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family averages $162,000 across 91 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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