SOC 29-1131 · St. Louis, MO-IL metro

Veterinarians Salary in St. Louis, MO

The average salary for veterinarians in St. Louis, Missouri is $132,010 a year ($63.47 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $122,460: half of the 810 people in this job in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 7% less than the U.S. average for this job ($142,680).

$132,010average per year

$63.47 / hourMedian $122,460Take-home ≈ $94,908

  • $75K10th
  • $104K25th
  • $122KMedian
  • $153K75th
  • $195K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

810people in this job
-7%vs U.S. average
#2 of 8Missouri metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Veterinarians pay range in St. Louis

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,680 a year or less, while the top 10% make $195,480 or more. The middle half of veterinarians in St. Louis earn between $103,690 and $153,450.

  • $75K10th
  • $104K25th
  • $122KMedian
  • $153K75th
  • $195K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$132,010$11,001$63.47
Median$122,460$10,205$58.88
Entry level (25th percentile)$103,690$8,641$49.85
Experienced (75th percentile)$153,450$12,788$73.77

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Veterinarians pay in St. Louis vs. Missouri and the U.S.

Veterinarians in St. Louis earn 5% more than the Missouri average ($125,720) and 7% less than the U.S. average ($142,680). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $130,100.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
St. Louis$132,010$122,460$74,680$195,480810
Missouri$125,720$114,660$61,270$193,8601,920
United States$142,680$130,100$73,920$215,70083,900

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Veterinarians salary after taxes in St. Louis

On the average salary of $132,010, a single filer in St. Louis takes home about $94,908 a year, or $7,909 a month and $3,650 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IL$95,101$7,925
Working in MO$94,908$7,909

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Missouri paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is St. Louis a good place for veterinarians? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the St. Louis area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.1), so the average $132,010 buys what about $138,829 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Louis ($49,990). A typical home costs $276,878, or 2.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $132,010 is worth in another city

Veterinarians salary in other Missouri cities

St. Louis ranks 2nd of 8 Missouri metro areas for this job; St. Joseph pays the most ($132,960).

All Veterinarians salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for veterinarians

Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($215,060).

Veterinarians salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Veterinarians in St. Louis, MO.

Veterinarians salary in St. Louis: questions

How much do veterinarians make an hour in St. Louis?

$63.47 an hour on average, and $58.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level veterinarians salary in St. Louis?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,680 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,690, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the veterinarians take-home pay in St. Louis?

About $94,908 a year ($7,909 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $132,010. Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do veterinarians earn more in St. Louis than elsewhere?

The average here is 7% less than the U.S. average for this job ($142,680).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1131; area St. Louis, MO-IL (41180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.11, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.