Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salaries
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary estimate
$35,284yearly
Salary Insights for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers a range of salaries that reflect the diversity of its workforce. In 2025, the average salary is approximately $35,284. However, compensation can vary significantly based on department and location. For instance, administrative roles tend to offer higher salaries compared to entry-level positions. The highest paying jobs include specialized roles in healthcare and management, which often command salaries above the average.
Salary by Location
Understanding how salaries differ by location can provide valuable insights for prospective employees. For example, positions in metropolitan areas may offer enhanced compensation due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Conclusion
By exploring these salary insights, job seekers can make informed decisions about their career paths within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
The highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs are physician, associate counsel, information technology project manager, and general counsel. Physician jobs at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs earn an average yearly salary of $176,378, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs associate counsel jobs average $70,770, and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs information technology project manager jobs average $69,747.
The lowest paying U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs roles include phlebotomist and food service worker. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs phlebotomist average salary is $25,074 per year. So while the average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary is $35,284 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
| Rank | Job title | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physician | $176,378 | $84.80 |
| 2 | Associate Counsel | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| 3 | Information Technology Project Manager | $69,747 | $33.53 |
| 4 | General Counsel | $69,624 | $33.47 |
| 5 | Registered Nurse | $65,923 | $31.69 |
| 6 | Clinical Psychologist | $60,735 | $29.20 |
| 7 | Devops Engineer | $56,611 | $27.22 |
| 8 | Chief Of Police | $54,903 | $26.40 |
| 9 | Management Analyst | $49,523 | $23.81 |
| 10 | Addiction Therapist | $48,968 | $23.54 |
| 11 | Program Analyst | $46,871 | $22.53 |
| 12 | Field Examiner | $46,852 | $22.53 |
| 13 | Police Officer | $46,460 | $22.34 |
| 14 | Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist | $44,269 | $21.28 |
| 15 | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | $42,301 | $20.34 |
| 16 | Administrative Officer | $39,824 | $19.15 |
| 17 | Licensed Practical Nurse | $38,717 | $18.61 |
| 18 | Benefits Advisor | $38,397 | $18.46 |
| 19 | Motor Vehicle Operator | $38,242 | $18.39 |
| 20 | Consultant | $37,908 | $18.23 |
Rate the fairness of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs' compensation policies.
Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary by state
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs pays the highest salaries in District of Columbia due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.
| Rank | State | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $42,553 | $20.46 |
| 2 | California | $42,393 | $20.38 |
| 3 | New York | $40,597 | $19.52 |
| 4 | Florida | $31,263 | $15.03 |
How much does U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs pay by location?
Highest paying U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs locations
| Rank | Location | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $42,781 | $20.57 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $41,847 | $20.12 |
| 3 | Northampton, MA | $41,161 | $19.79 |
| 4 | Syracuse, NY | $41,062 | $19.74 |
| 5 | Providence, RI | $38,641 | $18.58 |
| 6 | Manchester, NH | $38,462 | $18.49 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $38,342 | $18.43 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $37,342 | $17.95 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $36,481 | $17.54 |
| 10 | Cleveland, OH | $36,091 | $17.35 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,243 | $16.94 |
| 12 | Des Moines, IA | $34,775 | $16.72 |
| 13 | Salem, VA | $34,301 | $16.49 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $33,914 | $16.30 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $33,591 | $16.15 |
| 16 | Wichita, KS | $33,405 | $16.06 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,728 | $15.73 |
| 18 | Salisbury, NC | $32,528 | $15.64 |
| 19 | Beckley, WV | $32,219 | $15.49 |
| 20 | Orlando, FL | $31,215 | $15.01 |
Do you work at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs?
Were you satisfied with U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs' salary and benefits?
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salaries by department
Salaries at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs vary depending on the department you work in. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $53,539. Employees in the it department at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $51,069 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs include the hospitality/service and the administrative organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $26,892 and $30,883, respectively.
Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | $53,539 | $25.74 |
| 2 | IT | $51,069 | $24.55 |
| 3 | Legal | $42,837 | $20.59 |
| 4 | Healthcare | $42,012 | $20.20 |
| 5 | Marketing | $41,492 | $19.95 |
| 6 | Finance | $39,621 | $19.05 |
| 7 | Non Profit/Government | $39,493 | $18.99 |
| 8 | Human Resources | $36,345 | $17.47 |
| 9 | Research & Development | $35,933 | $17.28 |
| 10 | Accounting | $34,684 | $16.68 |
| 11 | Customer Service | $31,006 | $14.91 |
| 12 | Administrative | $30,883 | $14.85 |
| 13 | Hospitality/Service | $26,892 | $12.93 |
How much does U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs pay by department?
Best paying U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs administrative salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Administrative Officer | $39,824 | $19.15 |
| 2 | Program Support Assistant | $35,832 | $17.23 |
| 3 | Office Automation Clerk | $35,773 | $17.20 |
| 4 | Project Management Internship | $34,257 | $16.47 |
| 5 | Administrative Specialist | $33,217 | $15.97 |
| 6 | Office Manager | $32,710 | $15.73 |
| 7 | Medical Support Assistant | $31,086 | $14.95 |
| 8 | Medical Records Technician | $30,466 | $14.65 |
| 9 | Health Information Technician | $28,561 | $13.73 |
| 10 | File Clerk | $27,880 | $13.40 |
| 11 | Receptionist | $27,186 | $13.07 |
| 12 | Student Internship | $26,546 | $12.76 |
| 13 | Secretary | $25,877 | $12.44 |
| 14 | Work Study Student | $25,813 | $12.41 |
Best paying U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs healthcare salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registered Nurse | $65,923 | $31.69 |
| 2 | Clinical Psychologist | $60,735 | $29.20 |
| 3 | Respiratory Therapist | $53,497 | $25.72 |
| 4 | Addiction Therapist | $48,968 | $23.54 |
| 5 | Speech Language Pathologist | $46,741 | $22.47 |
| 6 | Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist | $44,269 | $21.28 |
| 7 | Psychometrist | $43,790 | $21.05 |
| 8 | Clinical Social Worker | $43,707 | $21.01 |
| 9 | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | $42,301 | $20.34 |
| 10 | Health Specialist | $40,602 | $19.52 |
| 11 | Licensed Practical Nurse | $38,717 | $18.61 |
| 12 | Pharmacy Internship | $37,114 | $17.84 |
| 13 | Medical Technologist | $36,174 | $17.39 |
| 14 | Counselor Internship | $32,280 | $15.52 |
| 15 | Medical Assistant | $29,288 | $14.08 |
| 16 | Pharmacist Technician | $29,039 | $13.96 |
| 17 | Health Technician | $28,852 | $13.87 |
| 18 | Certified Nurses' Aide | $28,633 | $13.77 |
| 19 | Certified Nursing Assistant | $27,814 | $13.37 |
| 20 | Phlebotomy Externship | $25,349 | $12.19 |
Best paying U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs non profit/government salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Program Manager | $55,116 | $26.50 |
| 2 | Chief Of Police | $54,903 | $26.40 |
| 3 | Police Officer | $46,460 | $22.34 |
| 4 | Programming Specialist | $40,434 | $19.44 |
| 5 | Motor Vehicle Operator | $38,242 | $18.39 |
| 6 | Program Assistant | $34,227 | $16.46 |
| 7 | Lieutenant Colonel | $33,940 | $16.32 |
| 8 | Law Enforcement Officer | $32,875 | $15.81 |
| 9 | Case Manager | $32,595 | $15.67 |
| 10 | Social Work Internship | $31,129 | $14.97 |
| 11 | Social Worker | $28,435 | $13.67 |
| 12 | Community Service Volunteer | $27,474 | $13.21 |
What employees say about salary at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
The Veterans we care for are the Best people! They make work fun and rewarding.
The Union is great but it's next to impossible to fire bad employees.
Paid time off and ability to take TSP loans.
Holidays off, retirement matching, working from home
work load, stress
discounts
Researching federal laws and then adjudicating how to apply them
Not close enough to my career goals in government and international affairs
health care benefits and working from home for over 14 years
political
health care and pension
I enjoy working with people in need of support for mental health and addictions and the satisfaction of knowing my talents, education and experience are valued and needed.
Job flexibility and time off. Training and Trust in me that I do excellent work
I enjoyed helping several veterans make the first step in recovering from PTSD.
The only negative feature was the unsettling amount of parking spaces. So many spaces and no where to park because it was always full.
My favorite perk was setting my own hours.
health care benefits , life insurance, growth within the company, education opportunity, leave time, pay rate, team work.
commute to work in bad weather conditions, cafeteria, cost for parking,
health care benefits able to carry them over into my retirement able to cash in leave time at retirement.
Good pay, Retitement program, Leave and medical benefits
Incompetent leadrrship, discrimination
Good pay and Retirement Program
I enjoy helping other Veterans to learn about events and benefits that they are eligible. Not only health care benefits, but I like to share unique benefits such as discounts and free events.
I want to relocate and I am considering working outside of the VA, in order to find a career.
Job satisfaction, insurance, and retirements are all reasons that I enjoy working for the VA.
Staff members and the schedule was flexible
the politics involved in order to advance
medical benefits and paid holidays. Also vacation time was abundant
Having a job and being able to support my family.
It's not challenging and there is no room for growth.
Getting the veterans what they need when they need it.
I love the work and helping veterans
Need more counselors
Being able to work from home
The mission of the company, and authenticity of those working there make it enjoyable and morally good feeling. Not needing to worry about profit makes it less stressful
Lack of promotion ability and lower pay than industry means weaker talent stays while higher talent leaves regularly
Super stable work no matter what
Working with veterans and caring for them one on one
Bureaucracy
Retirement benefits, autonomy
Reliable, not too demanding, get to serve those who served
Lots more bureaucracy and paperwork than required for a given task
Health benefits
Frequently asked questions about U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs salaries
Search for jobs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and its employees or that of Zippia.