SOC 29-1131 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro

Veterinarians Salary in Hickory, NC

The average salary for veterinarians in Hickory, North Carolina is $128,080 a year ($61.58 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $124,970: half of the 70 people in this job in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 12% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($146,208).

$128,080average per year

$61.58 / hourMedian $124,970Take-home ≈ $94,207

  • $75K10th
  • $93K25th
  • $125KMedian
  • $162K75th
  • $201K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

70people in this job
-12%vs U.S. metro average
#12 of 13North Carolina metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Veterinarians pay range in Hickory

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,470 a year or less, while the top 10% make $200,780 or more. The middle half of veterinarians in Hickory earn between $93,140 and $161,880.

  • $75K10th
  • $93K25th
  • $125KMedian
  • $162K75th
  • $201K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$128,080$10,673$61.58
Median$124,970$10,414$60.08
Entry level (25th percentile)$93,140$7,762$44.78
Experienced (75th percentile)$161,880$13,490$77.83

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

Veterinarians salary after taxes in Hickory

On the average salary of $128,080, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $94,207 a year, or $7,851 a month and $3,623 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Advertisement

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

Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $128,080 buys what about $144,746 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 2.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $128,080 is worth in another city

Veterinarians salary in other North Carolina cities

Hickory ranks 12th of 13 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Wilmington pays the most ($143,920).

All Veterinarians salaries in North Carolina

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 Hickory, NC.

Veterinarians salary in Hickory: questions

How much do veterinarians make an hour in Hickory?

$61.58 an hour on average, and $60.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level veterinarians salary in Hickory?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,470 a year and the 25th percentile is $93,140, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the veterinarians take-home pay in Hickory?

About $94,207 a year ($7,851 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $128,080.

Do veterinarians earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?

The average here is 12% less 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
  • 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 (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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