Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA is $128,500/year ($61.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.73), which stretches that salary to about $138,574 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,331/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K get you in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Slidell-Mandeville-Covington’s Regional Price Parity (92.73). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington
Veterinarians pay in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington 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 $1,331/month, 17% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.73 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $128K | $139K |
| Baton Rouge | $127K | $140K |
| Lafayette | $124K | $143K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $125K | $147K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $96K 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
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 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 17% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,071/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Slidell-Mandeville-Covington compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.73), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA?
The median is $128,500 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,850, and experienced veterinarians can clear $163,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,809/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 17% 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 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington?
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington has a Regional Price Parity of 92.73 (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 $138,574 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.