Veterinarians in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California veterinarians fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $125,460 and $211,840, with a median of $163,920.
Veterinarians in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 180 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $168,200. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 37 | $120,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 95 | $160,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 25 | $196,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 19 | $225,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Veterinarians in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Management International, Inc. | Associate Veterinarian | 13 | $170,000 |
| University of California, Davis | Veterinarian | 8 | $99,941 |
| VCA Inc. | Veterinarian | 8 | $160,000 |
| Veterinary Emergency Group, LLC | Emergency Veterinarian | 7 | $123,989 |
| AVPM CA 42 LP | Veterinarian | 6 | $109,117 |
| Pathway Vet Alliance LLC dba Thrive Pet Healthcare | Veterinarian | 6 | $255,000 |
| SAGE Veterinary Centers, LP | Veterinarian | 6 | $171,818 |
| Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital Inc. | Veterinarian | 4 | $137,155 |
| Modern Animal, Inc. | Associate Doctor | 3 | $196,435 |
| Temecula Animal Care LLC | Veterinarian | 3 | $175,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Veterinarian at Krisvet Inc.$200,000FairfieldWage Level IIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715228
- Associate Veterinarian at WVP of California P.C.$104,012WoodlandWage Level IDecided Mar 26, 2026I-201-26078-716576
- ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN at FREMONT ANIMAL CLINIC INC.$250,000STOCKTONWage Level IVDecided Mar 19, 2026I-203-26071-698389
- Veterinarian at VNC Veterinary Care Inc.$200,000ConcordWage Level IIDecided Mar 11, 2026I-200-26064-681115
- Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist at SAGE Veterinary Centers, LP$195,998CampbellWage Level IIIDecided Mar 9, 2026I-200-26061-674212
- Senior Lead Doctor at Modern Animal, Inc.$196,435Los AngelesWage Level IVDecided Mar 6, 2026I-203-26058-669282
- Veterinarian at Evergreen Pet Vet Inc$120,000San PabloWage Level IDecided Mar 6, 2026I-200-26060-671788
- VETERINARIAN at AXIS VET INC$176,800VALLEJOWage Level IIIDecided Mar 4, 2026I-200-26056-663758
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Veterinarians pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Veterinarians specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 161 certified offers. The most common variant is Veterinarian at a median of $170,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarian | Medical Management International, Inc. | 152 | $170,000 |
| Emergency Veterinarian | Veterinary Emergency Group, LLC | 6 | $123,989 |
| Veterinary Anesthesiologist | SAGE Veterinary Centers, LP | 3 | $224,702 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Veterinarians in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 180 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $170,623.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Medical Management International, Inc. | 170 | $170,623 |
| Education | University of California, Davis | 8 | $99,941 |
| Healthcare | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | 1 | $147,284 |
| Retail and wholesale | Petco Animal Supplies Stores, Inc. | 1 | $164,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Biology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge
- 4.5 / 5
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- 02
Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- 03
Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- 04
Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- 05
Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- 06
Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- 07
Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
- 08
Specialize in a particular type of treatment, such as dentistry, pathology, nutrition, surgery, microbiology, or internal medicine.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+9.6%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for veterinarians in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$208,080
- San Jose$192,160
- Sacramento$165,260
- Riverside$160,860
- Los Angeles$160,080
- San Diego$159,750
Compare Veterinarians pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Veterinarians in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Veterinarians in California is $163,920.
- How does California compare to the national median for Veterinarians?
- The California median is +24.0% versus the BLS national figure of $132,165.
- What is the salary range for Veterinarians in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $74,850 and the 90th-percentile at $286,330, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Veterinarians a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 9.6% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Veterinarians?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.