Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $158,880/year ($76.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $95K at the entry level to $217K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $153,256 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,960/month, or 19.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $159K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater sits well above the national pay line for veterinarians, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $130K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,960/month, 19.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater offers a genuinely strong financial position for veterinarianss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $164K | $147K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $152K | $151K |
| Yakima | $158K | $166K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $159K | $150K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $95K. Mid-career wages sit at $159K. Top earners bring in $217K or more, a $123K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $159K, rent takes 19.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $95K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,675/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $159K here vs. $130K nationally.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $159K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $153K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $158,880 a year, that works out to about $76 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $94,590, and experienced veterinarians can clear $217,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $159K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,946/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 19.7% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (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 $153,256 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.