Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $131,190/year ($63.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $208K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $130,033 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,977/month, or 23.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $131K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Veterinarians pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $131K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,977/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $130K | $114K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $132K | $131K |
| Jacksonville | $134K | $135K |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $137K | $134K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $208K or more, a $146K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,744/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $131K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for veterinarians?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $130K — below the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $131,190 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,400, and experienced veterinarians can clear $207,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,368/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 23.6% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $130,033 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.