Veterinarian Salary in Texas: $136,562 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Texas's 109 metropolitan areas, the average median veterinarian pay sits at $136,562/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-1131. Because Texas sits at BEA RPP 96.0 (4% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $142,252 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: San Marcos ($136,357), Round Rock ($134,183), Dallas ($133,550).

Veterinarian Salary in Texas - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Texas veterinarian salary overview (2026)

$136,562

Avg Median Salary

$65.65

Avg Hourly Rate

6,887

Metro Employed

109

Cities

In 2026, the average median salary for veterinarians in Texas is projected to be $136,562, slightly below the national median of $137,334, resulting in a margin of -0.6%. Salary variations across the state are significant, with San Marcos offering the highest salary at $143,938, while Tomball presents the lowest at $119,758, highlighting a gap of $24,180. This disparity can be attributed to factors such as local demand for veterinary services, cost of living, and the concentration of pets in urban versus rural areas. Texas has specific licensing requirements and scope of practice laws that shape the local profession. As the state continues to see a growth rate of 5.56% in veterinarian employment, driven by an increasing pet population and heightened demand for veterinary services, job opportunities are expanding. Key cities projected to have higher salaries include Round Rock at $141,644, Dallas at $140,975, Austin at $140,659, and Fort Worth at $140,056. Overall, the job market for veterinarians in Texas is expected to remain strong, underpinned by a growing emphasis on preventive care and pet wellness within communities.

Texas Veterinarian Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$83,988

avg across 109 cities

Median

$136,562

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$216,598

avg across 109 cities

Overall salary range in Texas: $42,118 (lowest entry-level) to $299,421 (highest top earner)

Texas vs National Average

Texas

$136,562

National Median

$137,334

Texas veterinarians earn 0.56% less than the national median ($-772/year difference).

Texas Veterinarian Salary Distribution (2026)

Veterinarian salaries in Texas range from $83,988 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $216,598 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $136,562. The Texas median is $772 below the US national median of $137,334. The average hourly rate is $65.65/hr. Approximately 6,887 veterinarians are employed across 109 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$109,971

2025 BLS Actual

$129,369

2026 Current Est.

$136,562

2019–2027 Growth

+31.1%

Salary Trajectory for Veterinarians in Texas (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.56% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$109,971	Actual
2020	$114,469	Actual
2021	$103,986	Actual
2022	$103,547	Actual
2023	$123,757	Actual
2024	$119,227	Actual
2025	$129,369	Actual
2026(current)	$136,562	Estimated
2027	$144,155	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Texas metropolitan area, the median veterinarian salary grew 17.6% from $109,971 (2019) to $129,369 (2025). At a 5.56% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $144,155 by 2027 — a total increase of $34,184 (31.08%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Texas 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.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Texas

San Marcos

13 employed · $69.21/hr

$143,938

+5.40% vs avg

Round Rock

26 employed · $68.10/hr

$141,644

+3.72% vs avg

Dallas

1,760 employed · $67.78/hr

$140,975

+3.23% vs avg

Austin

700 employed · $67.62/hr

$140,659

+3.00% vs avg

Fort Worth

219 employed · $67.34/hr

$140,056

+2.56% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Texas

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Tomball	$119,758	-12.31%	$57.57
Murphy	$120,721	-11.60%	$58.04
Horizon City	$121,535	-11.00%	$58.43
Stephenville	$122,065	-10.62%	$58.68
College Station	$122,629	-10.20%	$58.96

Best Value Cities for Veterinarians in Texas

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Texas cities offer the most purchasing power for veterinarians.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
San Marcos	$143,938	96	$149,935
McAllen	$128,350	85.895	$149,427
Brownsville	$127,664	85.975	$148,490
Round Rock	$141,644	96	$147,546
Longview	$131,665	89.485	$147,136

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Texas

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$83,988	$40.38	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$136,562	$65.65	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$216,598	$104.13	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Texas metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 109 Cities in Texas

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	San Marcos	$143,938	$69.21	$83,484	$223,104	13
2	Round Rock	$141,644	$68.10	$82,153	$219,548	26
3	Dallas	$140,975	$67.78	$90,423	$220,842	1,760
4	Austin	$140,659	$67.62	$90,085	$223,544	700
5	Fort Worth	$140,056	$67.34	$81,233	$217,086	219
6	Houston	$139,635	$67.13	$85,915	$219,206	1,340
7	Arlington	$138,127	$66.41	$80,114	$214,098	83
8	The Woodlands	$137,965	$66.33	$80,020	$213,846	21
9	Pasadena	$137,809	$66.25	$79,929	$213,604	32
10	New Braunfels	$136,875	$65.81	$79,387	$212,157	15
11	Irving	$136,863	$65.80	$79,380	$212,138	51
12	Plano	$136,410	$65.58	$79,118	$211,436	57
13	Garland	$135,701	$65.24	$78,707	$210,336	43
14	San Antonio	$135,697	$65.24	$85,102	$214,245	550
15	Frisco	$135,216	$65.00	$78,426	$209,585	38
16	Beaumont	$134,965	$64.89	$78,279	$209,196	18
17	Wichita Falls	$133,899	$64.37	$77,662	$207,543	20
18	Lubbock	$133,449	$64.16	$82,210	$190,346	70
19	Corpus Christi	$133,153	$64.02	$83,561	$203,045	70
20	Conroe	$132,447	$63.67	$76,819	$205,293	15
21	Laredo	$132,386	$63.64	$76,784	$205,198	48
22	Port Arthur	$132,240	$63.58	$76,700	$204,972	12
23	Richardson	$132,200	$63.56	$76,676	$204,910	24
24	Carrollton	$132,179	$63.55	$76,664	$204,877	20
25	Grand Prairie	$131,957	$63.44	$76,535	$204,534	43
26	Longview	$131,665	$63.29	$106,584	$209,864	50
27	Galveston	$130,988	$62.98	$75,974	$203,032	10
28	Amarillo	$130,916	$62.95	$82,421	$204,026	60
29	DeSoto	$130,895	$62.93	$75,920	$202,888	9
30	Missouri City	$130,761	$62.86	$75,842	$202,680	12
31	San Angelo	$130,723	$62.85	$76,599	$202,621	22
32	Midland	$130,333	$62.66	$75,593	$202,015	27
33	Killeen	$130,250	$62.62	$83,266	$213,664	80
34	Sugar Land	$130,206	$62.60	$75,520	$201,819	21
35	Allen	$130,196	$62.60	$75,513	$201,803	19
36	El Paso	$130,103	$62.54	$93,811	$182,059	70
37	League City	$130,079	$62.53	$75,446	$201,623	22
38	Cedar Park	$130,021	$62.51	$75,412	$201,533	12
39	Georgetown	$129,975	$62.49	$75,386	$201,461	12
40	Harlingen	$129,937	$62.47	$75,364	$201,402	14
41	Baytown	$129,923	$62.46	$75,355	$201,381	16
42	Denton	$129,847	$62.43	$75,312	$201,263	33
43	Wylie	$129,830	$62.42	$75,301	$201,237	10
44	Cleburne	$129,811	$62.41	$76,354	$201,208	7
45	Mesquite	$129,794	$62.40	$75,281	$201,182	21
46	Waco	$129,754	$62.39	$102,573	$207,563	50
47	Pharr	$129,696	$62.35	$75,224	$201,030	18
48	McKinney	$129,678	$62.34	$75,214	$201,001	44
49	Abilene	$129,649	$62.33	$81,429	$184,941	40
50	Mission	$129,496	$62.26	$75,108	$200,718	22
51	Pearland	$129,414	$62.22	$75,061	$200,593	19
52	Burleson	$129,326	$62.17	$75,386	$200,455	11
53	Temple	$129,182	$62.11	$77,342	$200,233	14
54	Odessa	$129,161	$62.10	$74,914	$200,200	17
55	Pflugerville	$129,158	$62.09	$74,912	$200,195	16
56	Cedar Hill	$129,103	$62.07	$74,881	$200,110	8
57	Flower Mound	$128,786	$61.92	$78,012	$199,619	12
58	Kyle	$128,703	$61.88	$77,829	$199,489	13
59	Del Rio	$128,555	$61.81	$74,562	$199,260	9
60	McAllen	$128,350	$61.71	$77,650	$180,508	50
61	Coppell	$128,251	$61.66	$74,386	$198,790	8
62	Forney	$128,049	$61.56	$74,268	$198,475	6
63	Rowlett	$127,918	$61.50	$74,192	$198,272	15
64	The Colony	$127,724	$61.40	$74,080	$197,973	9
65	Anna	$127,674	$61.38	$74,050	$197,894	4
66	Brownsville	$127,664	$61.38	$96,788	$171,725	30
67	Tyler	$127,569	$61.33	$81,640	$176,349	70
68	Huntsville	$127,532	$61.31	$73,969	$197,675	11
69	Texarkana	$127,359	$61.24	$73,869	$197,407	9
70	Mansfield	$127,131	$61.12	$73,885	$197,053	18
71	Weatherford	$127,106	$61.11	$73,721	$197,014	9
72	Euless	$127,049	$61.08	$74,228	$196,925	14
73	Weslaco	$126,964	$61.05	$73,640	$196,794	9
74	Hurst	$126,903	$61.01	$73,604	$196,699	9
75	Victoria	$126,821	$60.97	$73,607	$196,573	14
76	Grapevine	$126,748	$60.94	$73,581	$196,460	12
77	Leander	$126,717	$60.92	$73,496	$196,412	11
78	Little Elm	$126,711	$60.92	$73,492	$196,402	12
79	Lancaster	$126,599	$60.87	$73,428	$196,229	8
80	North Richland Hills	$126,510	$60.82	$73,376	$196,091	17
81	Duncanville	$126,488	$60.81	$73,363	$196,057	8
82	Copperas Cove	$126,244	$60.70	$78,937	$195,679	7
83	Friendswood	$126,224	$60.69	$78,358	$195,648	8
84	Seguin	$125,698	$60.43	$77,567	$194,831	7
85	Rockwall	$125,526	$60.35	$77,312	$194,565	12
86	Corinth	$125,395	$60.29	$75,546	$191,870	6
87	Schertz	$125,283	$60.23	$72,864	$194,188	6
88	Edinburg	$125,265	$60.22	$72,654	$194,161	22
89	Corsicana	$125,178	$60.18	$75,042	$190,823	6
90	San Juan	$125,090	$60.14	$76,334	$193,889	9
91	Kingsville	$125,080	$60.14	$76,311	$193,875	5
92	Prosper	$125,050	$60.12	$76,243	$193,827	7
93	Sachse	$124,735	$59.97	$75,541	$193,339	5
94	Bastrop	$124,717	$59.96	$73,967	$193,311	6
95	Socorro	$124,502	$59.85	$74,891	$192,977	5
96	Eagle Pass	$124,269	$59.75	$73,980	$192,617	5
97	Keller	$124,087	$59.65	$74,100	$192,335	7
98	Sherman	$124,076	$59.65	$74,078	$192,319	9
99	Lufkin	$123,944	$59.59	$73,786	$192,114	8
100	Haltom City	$123,935	$59.59	$73,633	$192,099	11
101	Nacogdoches	$123,935	$59.59	$73,633	$192,099	7
102	Benbrook	$123,833	$59.54	$71,925	$191,942	6
103	University Park	$123,715	$59.48	$71,754	$191,758	5
104	Fredericksburg	$122,939	$59.10	$76,528	$190,556	5
105	College Station	$122,629	$58.96	$42,118	$299,421	230
106	Stephenville	$122,065	$58.68	$78,295	$184,737	6
107	Horizon City	$121,535	$58.43	$76,929	$188,380	6
108	Murphy	$120,721	$58.04	$75,180	$187,117	5
109	Tomball	$119,758	$57.57	$72,982	$184,163	5

More Texas Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore veterinarian hourly pay in Texas cities.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Dallas →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new veterinarians.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Dallas →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced veterinarians.

San Marcos →Round Rock →Dallas →

Compare Cities in Texas

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View all comparisons →

Explore More Veterinarian Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do veterinarians make in Texas in 2026?

The average median veterinarian salary in Texas is $136,562/year across 109 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $119,758 in Tomball to $143,938 in San Marcos. This makes Texas 0.56% below the national median of $137,334. The state employs approximately 6,887 veterinarians.

What is the highest paying city for veterinarians in Texas?

San Marcos offers the highest veterinarian salary in Texas at $143,938/year ($69.21/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are San Marcos ($143,938), Round Rock ($141,644), Dallas ($140,975). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for veterinary medicine services, and competition among employers for licensed veterinarians.

How does Texas veterinarian pay compare to the national average?

Texas's average veterinarian salary of $136,562 is 0.56% below the national median of $137,334 in 2026. The state employs approximately 6,887 veterinarians across 109 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level veterinarian salary in Texas?

Entry-level veterinarians (10th percentile) in Texas earn approximately $83,988/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $42,118 in lower-paying areas to $106,584 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many veterinarians are employed in Texas?

Texas employs approximately 6,887 veterinarians across 109 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Texas one of the larger employers of veterinarians nationally. Demand continues to grow as the veterinary medicine field expands and the population ages.

Which Texas city offers the best value for veterinarians?

When adjusted for cost of living, San Marcos offers the highest purchasing power for veterinarians in Texas, with an adjusted salary of $149,935 (nominal: $143,938, CoL index: 96). This means your dollar goes 4% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

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.

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Samuel Patel, DVMData verified by Dr. Maria Gomez, DVM

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide 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. A 5.56% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 veterinarian compensation across Texas. State averages are employment-weighted across 109 metro areas — larger metro areas with more veterinarianscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). 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

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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