Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Santa Fe, NM is $129,380/year ($62.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $213K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.77), that's roughly $130,991 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,685/month, or 21.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K get you in Santa Fe?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Fe’s Regional Price Parity (98.77). 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 Santa Fe
Veterinarians pay in Santa Fe tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,685/month, 21.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.77) 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 Santa Fe, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $140K | $147K |
| Las Cruces | $125K | $138K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $134K | $130K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $161K | $156K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Fe, NM
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $213K or more, a $120K 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 Santa Fe numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Fe?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 21.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,685/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Santa Fe?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,593/month. At HUD’s $1,685/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Santa Fe?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Santa Fe compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Santa Fe pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Santa Fe, NM?
The median is $129,380 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $93,220, and experienced veterinarians can clear $212,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Santa Fe?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,820/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,685/month, which eats 21.5% 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 Santa Fe?
Santa Fe has a Regional Price Parity of 98.77 (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 $130,991 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.