National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Social Workers earn a national median of $54,150/year vs Veterinarians at $119,100/year. Veterinarians earn 120% more nationally. The gap is $64,950 per year — or $5,413 per month.
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Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
VS
Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr
Annual salary gap
$64,950
Veterinarians earn 120% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $736,227.
Best states for Veterinarians
vs Social Workers
California+$79,780
Washington+$75,780
Hawaii+$73,780
New Jersey+$73,780
New York+$73,780
Best states for Social Workers
vs Veterinarians
Mississippi+$-45,780
West Virginia+$-45,780
Arkansas+$-49,780
North Dakota+$-51,780
South Dakota+$-51,780
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Veterinarians earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Social Workers is $54,150 versus $119,100 for Veterinarians — a difference of $64,950 per year or $5,413 per month.
The national median salary gap between Social Workers and Veterinarians is $64,950 per year. Veterinarians earn 120% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $736,227.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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. Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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, Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
