Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL is $129,810/year ($62.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $245K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.14), that's roughly $133,632 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,497/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lakeland-Winter Haven’s Regional Price Parity (97.14). 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven
Veterinarians pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven tracks closely to the national median, $130K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,497/month, 18.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.14) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Lakeland-Winter Haven, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $130K | $114K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $131K | $130K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $132K | $131K |
| Jacksonville | $134K | $135K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $245K or more, a $185K 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 18.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,497/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,611/month. At HUD’s $1,497/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $130K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Lakeland-Winter Haven compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Lakeland-Winter Haven pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?
The median is $129,810 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,180, and experienced veterinarians can clear $245,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,290/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,497/month, which eats 18.1% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Lakeland-Winter Haven has a Regional Price Parity of 97.14 (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 $133,632 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.