Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Bellingham, WA is $149,760/year ($72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $103K at the entry level to $220K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $144,934 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,794/month, or 18.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $150K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About veterinarians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for veterinarians, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $130K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,794/month, 19% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Bellingham offers a genuinely strong financial position for veterinarianss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $164K | $147K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $152K | $151K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $159K | $153K |
| Yakima | $158K | $166K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $103K. Mid-career wages sit at $150K. Top earners bring in $220K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinarians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinarians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $164K | +26% | 9,170 |
| Maryland | $163K | +25% | 1,430 |
| Washington | $161K | +23% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $160K | +23% | 1,910 |
| Arizona | $152K | +17% | 2,080 |
| Massachusetts | $140K | +8% | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | +3% | 190 |
| Illinois | $134K | +3% | 2,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | +3% | 3,490 |
| Minnesota | $133K | +2% | 2,140 |
| New York | $132K | +1% | 3,390 |
| Vermont | $132K | +1% | 280 |
| Florida | $132K | +1% | 5,360 |
| Texas | $131K | +1% | 6,270 |
| Colorado | $131K | +1% | 2,340 |
| Maine | $131K | +0% | 600 |
| Hawaii | $130K | +0% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $129K | -1% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -1% | 2,940 |
| West Virginia | $129K | -1% | 390 |
| Oregon | $129K | -1% | 1,660 |
| New Hampshire | $128K | -1% | 650 |
| Virginia | $127K | -3% | 2,700 |
| Georgia | $127K | -3% | 2,670 |
| Rhode Island | $127K | -3% | 430 |
| Connecticut | $126K | -3% | 950 |
| Nevada | $126K | -3% | 680 |
| Michigan | $125K | -4% | 2,030 |
| Ohio | $125K | -4% | 3,430 |
| Iowa | $125K | -4% | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $125K | -4% | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $124K | -4% | 950 |
| Tennessee | $124K | -4% | 1,730 |
| Utah | $124K | -5% | 640 |
| South Carolina | $122K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $116K | -11% | 540 |
| Missouri | $115K | -12% | 1,920 |
| Wisconsin | $109K | -16% | 1,830 |
| Arkansas | $108K | -17% | 540 |
| Kansas | $107K | -18% | 1,000 |
| Alabama | $106K | -19% | 1,020 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -19% | 480 |
| Kentucky | $104K | -20% | 1,190 |
| Nebraska | $104K | -20% | 780 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -21% | 270 |
| Montana | $99K | -24% | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -25% | 1,150 |
| Wyoming | $97K | -25% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -32% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track veterinarians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bellingham numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $150K, rent takes 19% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $103K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,199/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $150K here vs. $130K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Bellingham pays $150K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $145K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $149,760 a year, that works out to about $72 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $103,310, and experienced veterinarians can clear $220,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $150K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,426/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 19% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a veterinarians salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median veterinarians salary is worth about $144,934 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinarians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.