Veterinarian Salary in Shreveport, LA: $131,918 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time veterinarian in Shreveport, LA earns a median $131,918/year (≈ $63.42/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-1131). Once you factor in Shreveport's price level (15% below national, BEA RPP 84.8), that paycheck buys what $155,626 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 0.4% above the Louisiana state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In 2026, veterinarians in Shreveport, Louisiana, are projected to earn a median annual salary of $131,918. This figure represents a competitive yet slightly lower compensation compared to the national median of $137,334 for the same year, reflecting a trend where salaries can depend significantly on factors such as practice type and the revenue generation model. The salary range for veterinarians in this city spans from $69,564 at the 10th percentile to $202,559 at the 90th percentile. These estimates are derived from official Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) OEWS surveys, positioning Shreveport as an emerging market for veterinary professionals in a landscape increasingly influenced by corporate consolidation and production-based compensation models.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $69,564 | $33.44 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $83,403 | $40.10 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $131,918 | $63.42 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $157,496 | $75.72 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $202,559 | $97.39 |
Median Salary Position
3.94% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Shreveport
In Shreveport, LA, the veterinarian salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $132,995 (2026 est.). At $131,918, the local median is 3.94% below the national median of $137,334.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Shreveport: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Shreveport Veterinarian Pay Compares
Shreveport median: $131,918/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Shreveport Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Average | $131,393 | +0.40% more |
| National Average | $137,334 | -3.94% less |
Veterinarians in Shreveport, LA earn a median of $131,918 per year (2026 est.), which is 3.94% lower than the national median of $137,334 and 0.40% above the Louisiana state average of $131,393.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Shreveport has a cost of living 15.23% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Shreveport, LA has a cost-of-living index of 84.766 (below the national average of 100). A veterinarian earning $131,918 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $155,626 in an average-cost city — an effective 17.97% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$73,270
2025 BLS Actual
$124,970
2026 Current Est.
$131,918
2019–2027 Growth
+90.1%
Salary Trajectory for Veterinarians in Shreveport (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.56% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $73,270 | Actual |
| 2020 | $81,660 | Actual |
| 2021 | $95,450 | Actual |
| 2022 | $96,130 | Actual |
| 2023 | $100,120 | Actual |
| 2024 | $124,350 | Actual |
| 2025 | $124,970 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $131,918 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $139,253 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Shreveport metropolitan area, the median veterinarian salary grew 70.6% from $73,270 (2019) to $124,970 (2025). At a 5.56% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $139,253 by 2027 — a total increase of $65,983 (90.05%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Shreveport metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 5.56% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $69,564 – $83,403 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $83,403 – $131,918 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $131,918 – $157,496 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $157,496 – $202,559 |
DVM salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual veterinarian compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Veterinarian Job Market in Shreveport
A stronger local job market, with around 80 veterinarians currently employed in the area, suggests competitive opportunities, especially given Shreveport's cost-of-living index of 84.766, which indicates a lower economic burden on salaries. Employers who tend to pay the most include corporate chains like VCA, BluePearl, and NVA, representing roughly 25% of the market, alongside specialty referral hospitals and government positions. The wide range of salaries can be attributed to factors such as board certification in specialties like surgery or internal medicine, practice ownership equity, and available sign-on bonuses that can reach between $50,000 to $150,000 in high-demand areas. For those seeking to maximize their veterinarian pay in Shreveport, actively pursuing specialty board certifications and engaging in mixed practice or corporate roles may prove beneficial, as they often yield higher compensation compared to general practice alone.
More salary data for Shreveport, LA:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Dr. Alice Nguyen, DVM
Career Analyst
Dr. Alice Nguyen has 10 years of experience in veterinary medicine. She specializes in small animal surgery. She currently works at a suburban veterinary clinic.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $124,970 for veterinariansin the Shreveport metropolitan area. A 5.56% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.56%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for veterinarians (SOC 29-1131).
Compiled and verified by Dr. Alice Nguyen, DVM, a licensed veterinarian with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov