Veterinarian · Missouri · SOC 29-1131
Veterinarian Salary in Missouri (2026)
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-07.
TL;DR
- Veterinarians in Missouri earn a BLS median of $119,640, with real take-home of $131,322 after BEA RPP adjustment.
- Nominal: #28/51 · Real: #14/51 — ranking shifts by 14 positions after RPP.
- Below-100 RPP flips this state above its nominal rank in real-wage terms; the gap is about $11,682.
- Quartile range $95,660 (bottom 25%) to $159,450 (top 25%); the P10-P90 envelope is $62,400 to $190,800.
Wage breakdown — Missouri
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $62,400 | $68,493 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $95,660 | $105,001 |
| P50 (median) | $119,640 | $131,322 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $159,450 | $175,020 |
| P90 (top tier) | $190,800 | $209,431 |
| Mean | $128,310 | $140,839 |
| Employment | 2,020 Vets in Missouri | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Missouri index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 91.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 |
| Services | 85.6 |
| Rents | 70.5 |
Missouri sits below the national baseline (RPP 91.1), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 70.5.
After-tax take-home — Missouri (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Vet) | $119,640 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$17,568 | 14.7% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$5,007 | 0–4.95% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$9,152 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $87,913 | 73.5% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $96,498 | ÷ (91.1 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Missouri state-tax burden means for Vet take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 4.2% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $87,913 (73.5% of gross). After the 91.1 RPP, real take-home is $96,498.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $125,510 for Vets with mean pay of $140,270 and total employment of 80,630. Missouri sits at #28 on nominal pay and #14 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Missouri climbs 14 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Vet make in Missouri?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $119,640 for Vets in Missouri as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $95,660 and the 75th-percentile is $159,450.
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) Vet salary in Missouri?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 91.1 for Missouri), the real-wage equivalent is $131,322 — what the $119,640 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $105,001 to $175,020.
- How are Missouri Vet salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- What does the top of the Vet pay scale look like in Missouri?
- The 90th percentile lands at $190,800. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $159,450.
- How many Vets does Missouri employ?
- BLS OES counts 2,020 Vets employed in Missouri in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- DVM tuition ROI in Missouri — does it still pencil out?
- DVM programs run 4 years post-undergrad at $150K-$320K total tuition + $90K-$150K foregone earnings. Average graduating debt is now $185K-$220K and rising. Against the Missouri vet median in the BLS table on this page, breakeven on the cash investment typically lands 12-20 years post-graduation depending on practice setting and PSLF eligibility (public health / shelter / academia / federal). Specialty board certification (small-animal surgery, oncology, internal medicine, ER) requires 3-4 additional residency years but lifts terminal earning power well above general-practice BLS P90 in Missouri.
- Rural vs urban vs specialty vet pay in Missouri?
- BLS does not segment by practice setting or specialty within 29-1131. In Missouri, rural and food-animal practice typically pays at or below the BLS median but offers loan-repayment incentives (USDA VMLRP, state programs) that effectively boost compensation by $25-75K per year for committed rural practitioners. Urban small-animal practice clusters near or above median. Specialty practice (oncology, cardiology, surgery, ophthalmology, ER/critical care) pays above BLS P75 in Missouri markets with referral hospital infrastructure. Industry vets (pharma, animal-health R&D, regulatory, lab-animal medicine) earn highest of all settings, often above BLS P90.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 29-1131, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how Missouri Vet pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.