National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Veterinarians earn a national median of $119,100/year vs Machine Learning Engineers at $158,000/year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 33% more nationally. The gap is $38,900 per year — or $3,242 per month.
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Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr
VS
Machine Learning Engineer
$158,000
national median/year
$13,167/mo • $76/hr
Annual salary gap
$38,900
Machine Learning Engineers earn 33% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $440,943.
Best states for Machine Learning Engineers
vs Veterinarians
California+$63,900
Washington+$59,900
Virginia+$57,900
Massachusetts+$49,900
New York+$49,900
Best states for Veterinarians
vs Machine Learning Engineers
Alaska+$-7,900
Hawaii+$-9,900
North Dakota+$-15,900
Wyoming+$-15,900
Iowa+$-19,900
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Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Veterinarians is $119,100 versus $158,000 for Machine Learning Engineers — a difference of $38,900 per year or $3,242 per month.
The national median salary gap between Veterinarians and Machine Learning Engineers is $38,900 per year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 33% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $440,943.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Veterinarians the highest median salary at $148,100 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Machine Learning Engineers the highest median salary at $212,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Veterinarians and Computer and Information Research Scientists 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, Veterinarians earn approximately $57 per hour nationally and Machine Learning Engineers earn approximately $76 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.
