National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Veterinarians at $119,100/year. Veterinarians earn 94% more nationally. The gap is $57,550 per year — or $4,796 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr
Annual salary gap
$57,550
Veterinarians earn 94% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $652,346.
Best states for Veterinarians
vs Plumbers
California+$69,780
Maryland+$63,780
Virginia+$63,780
North Carolina+$61,780
Washington+$61,780
Best states for Plumbers
vs Veterinarians
North Dakota+$-35,780
Mississippi+$-37,780
West Virginia+$-37,780
Wyoming+$-39,780
Alaska+$-41,780
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Veterinarians earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $119,100 for Veterinarians — a difference of $57,550 per year or $4,796 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Veterinarians is $57,550 per year. Veterinarians earn 94% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $652,346.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
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.
