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Physical Therapist vs Veterinarian Salary

National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data

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Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Veterinarians at $119,100/year. Veterinarians earn 19% more nationally. The gap is $19,390 per year — or $1,616 per month.

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Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr

Annual salary gap

$19,390

Veterinarians earn 19% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $219,791.

Best states for Veterinarians

vs Physical Therapists

California+$33,780
New York+$33,780
Maryland+$31,780
Massachusetts+$29,780
New Jersey+$29,780

Best states for Physical Therapists

vs Veterinarians

Mississippi+$-9,780
West Virginia+$-9,780
Arkansas+$-11,780
North Dakota+$-11,780
Wyoming+$-11,780

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Frequently Asked Questions

Veterinarians earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $119,100 for Veterinarians — a difference of $19,390 per year or $1,616 per month.

The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Veterinarians is $19,390 per year. Veterinarians earn 19% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $219,791.

Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 per year.

Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Veterinarians the highest median salary at $148,100 per year.

Salary is one factor — Veterinarians earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physical Therapists and Veterinarians both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.

Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 per hour nationally and Veterinarians earn approximately $57 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.

Last updated: June 2026

Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.