SOC 29-1131 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Veterinarians — New Jersey
New Jersey · 2 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in New Jersey comes to $160,140 a year, ahead of the national median of $130,100 by 23.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +9.6%
- Openings per year
- 3,000
- Typical entry-level education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.1% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for New Jersey.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in New Jersey comes to $160,140 a year, ahead of the national median of $130,100 by 23.1%. Pay ranges from under $103,720 at the tenth percentile to more than $274,850 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $126,480 to $202,930.
Employment stands at 1,910, or 0.4 jobs per thousand held locally. New Jersey ranks number 4th out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Atlantic City records the highest median at $164,620. Of the 736 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 42nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $103,720 | −20.3% |
| 25th | $126,480 | −2.8% |
| Median (50th) | $160,140 | +23.1% |
| 75th | $202,930 | +56.0% |
| 90th | $274,850 | +111.3% |
| Mean | $166,170 | +27.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New Jersey
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic City | $164,620 | 60 | |
| 2 | Trenton | $150,520 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New Jersey run 8.8% above the national average, so the median of $160,140 buys what $147,188 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 13.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$160,140as reported by BLSLocal price level
108.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$147,188US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $160,140 a year, 23.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $103,720 to $274,850 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,910 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 4th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Atlantic City, at $164,620.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Veterinarians in New Jersey?
The median annual wage is $160,140, or $76.99 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $130,100, so pay in New Jersey is 23.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New Jersey earns more than $274,850 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $103,720 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Atlantic City, at $164,620 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,910 jobs in this occupation in New Jersey. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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