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Veterinarian.

Tampa.

$119,000

median salary, 6% below the national average

$92,000 to $152,000. Last updated August 2026.

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Data points to own the conversation.

Orbyt estimates Veterinarian pay in Tampa at $119,000, within a range of $92,000 to $152,000. That is 6% below the national average. Tampa's economy combines a strong financial services sector with growing tech, healthcare, and defense industries. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.

Salary range.

25th Percentile

$92,000

per year

Median

$119,000

per year

75th Percentile

$152,000

per year

Where do you fall?

$92,000$152,000

Orbyt estimate for Veterinarian in Tampa, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.

Government benchmark for this occupation

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $131,190 for Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan area, based on 1,060 employed workers (May 2025 release).

10th percentile

$62,400

25th percentile

$77,380

Median

$131,190

75th percentile

$166,660

90th percentile

$207,920

Workers surveyed

1,060

BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) rather than Veterinarian specifically. The Tampa range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.

View the BLS source for SOC 29-1131

Salary by experience.

The gap between entry and lead level is typically $107,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.

Entry (0-2 yrs)

$77,000

to $95,000

Mid (3-5 yrs)

$101,000

to $125,000

Senior (6-9 yrs)

$131,000

to $155,000

Lead (10+ yrs)

$149,000

to $184,000

Total compensation.

Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $24,000 to the total package.

Base

$119,000

Equity

$13,000

Bonus

$9,000

Signing

$2,000

Estimated total: $143,000

How Tampa compares.

Tampa, FL

$119,000

Cost of living: 4% below average

National Average

$126,000

Tampa is $7,000 below

Veterinarian salary by city.

Veterinarian salary comparison across 10 cities
CityMedianRangeCOLAdjusted
San Jose, CA$169,000$131,000 to $217,0001.38x$122,000
San Francisco, CA$168,000$131,000 to $217,0001.35x$124,000
Honolulu, HI$167,000$130,000 to $215,0001.30x$128,000
Seattle, WA$162,000$126,000 to $209,0001.24x$131,000
Washington DC, DC$159,000$124,000 to $205,0001.25x$127,000
New York, NY$158,000$123,000 to $203,0001.28x$123,000
Boston, MA$155,000$121,000 to $200,0001.22x$127,000
Los Angeles, CA$153,000$119,000 to $197,0001.18x$130,000
San Diego, CA$147,000$115,000 to $190,0001.17x$126,000
Tampa, FL$119,000$92,000 to $152,0000.96x$124,000

See all 81 cities for Veterinarian →

Salary by role in Tampa.

Salary comparison by role in Tampa
RoleMedianRange
General Counsel$280,000$218,000 to $363,000
CTO$276,000$216,000 to $359,000
CEO$264,000$192,000 to $365,000
AI Agent Architect$123,000$91,000 to $160,000
Recommendation Systems Engineer$123,000$95,000 to $156,000
Actuary$120,000$86,000 to $157,000
Veterinarian$119,000$92,000 to $152,000
Nurse Practitioner$119,000$101,000 to $138,000

What you should know.

Before you negotiate a Veterinarian offer in Tampa, understand the terrain. Tampa's economy combines a strong financial services sector with growing tech, healthcare, and defense industries. The city has attracted remote workers and corporate relocations seeking Florida's tax advantages. Tampa offers a favorable salary to cost of living ratio, with compensation levels that have risen significantly as the metro continues to grow. Practice type is the primary differentiator, with emergency, specialty, and equine or large animal vets earning above companion animal general practitioners. Board certification in specialties like surgery, internal medicine, or oncology adds 30 to 60% over general practice. Geographic areas with vet shortages offer signing bonuses and premium salaries.

New graduate vets start at $88,000 to $100,000 in general practice. Mid-career vets with strong client bases earn $115,000 to $140,000. Practice owners or board-certified specialists can reach $160,000 to $250,000 depending on specialty and practice revenue. In Tampa, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.

Base salary is not the full picture. Veterinarians commonly receive production bonuses of 18 to 22% of personal production above a base salary. Benefits include CE allowances of $2,500 to $5,000, DEA license reimbursement, professional liability coverage, and increasingly, student loan repayment assistance programs. And on the tax side: florida has no state income tax, which is Tampa's biggest compensation advantage. There are no local income taxes either. Property taxes and insurance costs are the main financial considerations. When someone quotes you $119,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Frame your salary expectations against the no income tax benefit. Tampa employers know candidates are factoring in the tax savings, so be explicit about how it shapes your number. The range for Veterinarians in Tampa runs from $92,000 to $152,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology

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$

25th

$92,000

Median

$119,000

75th

$152,000

Considering a related role?

Common questions.

Board-certified veterinary specialists earn 40 to 80% more than general practitioners, with surgeons averaging $180,000 to $280,000 and internists $160,000 to $230,000. Specialty residency requires three to four additional years but provides a substantial lifetime earnings increase.

Average vet school debt of $180,000 to $220,000 influences career choices substantially. Many new graduates prioritize higher-paying emergency or corporate positions over lower-paying shelter or public health roles. Loan repayment programs in underserved areas help offset this pressure.

In Tampa, large enterprises typically pay Veterinarians 10 to 20% more in base salary than small companies, but startups often compensate with equity that can exceed base salary value. Veterinarians commonly receive production bonuses of 18 to 22% of personal production above a base salary. The $92,000 to $152,000 range reflects this entire spectrum.

Lead with data: Veterinarians in Tampa earn $92,000 to $152,000, so anchoring your ask near $152,000 gives room to land at the median. Frame your salary expectations against the no income tax benefit. Tampa employers know candidates are factoring in the tax savings, so be explicit about how it shapes your number. Never accept the first number without a conversation.

Entry level Veterinarian positions in Tampa typically start near $92,000. Candidates with relevant internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate closer to the median of $119,000. New graduate vets start at $88,000 to $100,000 in general practice.

Florida has no state income tax, which is Tampa's biggest compensation advantage. There are no local income taxes either. Property taxes and insurance costs are the main financial considerations. When comparing offers across states, your take home pay matters more than the number on the offer letter. A lower salary in a no income tax state can net more than a higher one elsewhere.

Veterinarian salary in other cities.

Other salaries in Tampa.

Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Veterinarians in Tampa.

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Cite this data

Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.

"Veterinarian Salary in Tampa, FL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/veterinarian/tampa

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