Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $135,090/year ($64.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $218K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $127,708 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,169/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $135K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Veterinarians pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $2,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $112K | $111K |
| Colorado Springs | $127K | $126K |
| Boulder | $132K | $125K |
| Greeley | $127K | $127K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $218K or more, a $132K 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 annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 26.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,439/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — below the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $135,090 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $86,250, and experienced veterinarians can clear $217,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 26.8% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $127,708 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.