National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Veterinarians earn a national median of $119,100/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 70% more nationally. The gap is $83,910 per year — or $6,993 per month.
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Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$83,910
Pilots earn 70% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $951,145.
Best states for Pilots
vs Veterinarians
Virginia+$95,910
Alaska+$93,910
New York+$91,910
California+$89,910
Illinois+$89,910
Best states for Veterinarians
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-61,910
New Mexico+$-61,910
North Dakota+$-61,910
Idaho+$-63,910
Montana+$-63,910
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Veterinarians is $119,100 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $83,910 per year or $6,993 per month.
The national median salary gap between Veterinarians and Pilots is $83,910 per year. Pilots earn 70% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $951,145.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Veterinarians and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
