SOC 29-1131 · Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro

Veterinarians Salary in Bakersfield, CA

The average salary for veterinarians in Bakersfield, California is $160,850 a year ($77.33 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $150,780: half of the 100 people in this job in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 10% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($146,208).

$160,850average per year

$77.33 / hourMedian $150,780Take-home ≈ $110,340

  • $61K10th
  • $118K25th
  • $151KMedian
  • $211K75th
  • $276K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

100people in this job
+10%vs U.S. metro average
#13 of 21California metros
101cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Veterinarians pay range in Bakersfield

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $276,250 or more. The middle half of veterinarians in Bakersfield earn between $118,130 and $210,650.

  • $61K10th
  • $118K25th
  • $151KMedian
  • $211K75th
  • $276K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$160,850$13,404$77.33
Median$150,780$12,565$72.49
Entry level (25th percentile)$118,130$9,844$56.79
Experienced (75th percentile)$210,650$17,554$101.27

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Veterinarians salary after taxes in Bakersfield

On the average salary of $160,850, a single filer in Bakersfield takes home about $110,340 a year, or $9,195 a month and $4,244 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Advertisement

Is Bakersfield a good place for veterinarians? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Bakersfield area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.9), so the average $160,850 buys what about $159,437 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Bakersfield ($47,470). A typical home costs $364,264, or 2.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $160,850 is worth in another city

Veterinarians salary in other California cities

Bakersfield ranks 13th of 21 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($195,160).

All Veterinarians salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for veterinarians

Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($215,060).

Veterinarians salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Veterinarians in Bakersfield, CA.

Veterinarians salary in Bakersfield: questions

How much do veterinarians make an hour in Bakersfield?

$77.33 an hour on average, and $72.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level veterinarians salary in Bakersfield?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $118,130, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the veterinarians take-home pay in Bakersfield?

About $110,340 a year ($9,195 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $160,850. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do veterinarians earn more in Bakersfield than elsewhere?

The average here is 10% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($146,208).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1131; area Bakersfield-Delano, CA (12540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.0%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.