Veterinarian salary in Washington, DC
Based on 30 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Leesburg, Fairfax, Rockville, Sterling, Greenbelt.
Also listed as: Associate Veterinarian, Emergency Veterinarian
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,500 |
| 25th | $65,750 |
| 50th (median) | $145,000 |
| 75th | $181,000 |
| 90th | $200,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | $46,000 | $43,500 | $100,000 | 12 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2023 | $48,000 | $39,000 | $155,000 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $150,000 | $46,000 | $175,000 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $80,903 | $50,875 | $150,000 | 14 |
| FY2026 | $150,000 | $134,692 | $189,875 | 16 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Veterinarian salary of $145,000 is worth about $133,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Veterinarians in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $154,350 in May 2025 (1,740 employed). The H-1B median here is $145,000, 6% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | too few | 8 |
| Medical Management International | too few | 4 |
| Sterling Animal Care PLLC | too few | 3 |
| Vca | too few | 3 |
| Silver Spring Animal Care | too few | 2 |
| Veterinary Emergency Group | too few | 2 |
| Virginia Animal Care PLLC | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $150,000 | 13 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 6 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $92,706 | $150,000 | 13 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.