Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Charleston, WV is $112,140/year ($53.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $189K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $126,398 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 14.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $112K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). 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
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What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for veterinarians in Charleston runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $130K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,036/month, 15.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Charleston can be a reasonable trade-off for veterinarianss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $111K | $126K |
| Morgantown | $133K | $143K |
| Wheeling | $119K | $134K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $140K | $136K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $112K. Top earners bring in $189K or more, a $130K 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 Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $112K, rent takes 15.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,578/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $112K here vs. $130K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Charleston pays $112K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — below the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $112,140 a year, that works out to about $54 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,630, and experienced veterinarians can clear $189,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $112K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,869/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 15.1% 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 Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median veterinarians salary is worth about $126,398 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.