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The role of a Veterinary Pathologist involves diagnosing animal diseases through laboratory work and research. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $53,066 annually, translating to approximately $26 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, and the specific sector of employment.
Highest Paying States: States like California and New York often offer higher salaries for veterinary pathologists due to the demand for specialized care. Research institutions and private practices may also provide competitive compensation.
Consider gaining experience in diverse environments, as this can lead to increased earning potential over time. The demand for veterinary pathologists continues to grow, making it a valuable career for those passionate about animal health.
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The average veterinary pathologist salary in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average veterinary pathologist salary states are Kansas, Louisiana, and Montana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $64,347 | $30.94 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $60,862 | $29.26 |
| 3 | New York | $69,214 | $33.28 |
| 4 | Delaware | $58,364 | $28.06 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $61,796 | $29.71 |
| 6 | California | $62,199 | $29.90 |
| 7 | Vermont | $55,840 | $26.85 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $65,008 | $31.25 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $54,317 | $26.11 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $64,483 | $31.00 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $49,090 | $23.60 |
| 12 | Virginia | $53,755 | $25.84 |
| 13 | Michigan | $51,510 | $24.76 |
| 14 | Ohio | $55,471 | $26.67 |
| 15 | Maine | $56,276 | $27.06 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $54,313 | $26.11 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $50,864 | $24.45 |
| 18 | Florida | $48,176 | $23.16 |
| 19 | Alaska | $59,011 | $28.37 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $47,508 | $22.84 |
| 21 | Texas | $47,517 | $22.84 |
| 22 | Arizona | $47,909 | $23.03 |
| 23 | Nevada | $50,048 | $24.06 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $44,595 | $21.44 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $47,956 | $23.06 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $58,399 | $28.08 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $46,908 | $22.55 |
| 28 | Illinois | $43,112 | $20.73 |
| 29 | Oregon | $45,387 | $21.82 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $45,442 | $21.85 |
| 31 | Iowa | $42,491 | $20.43 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $43,655 | $20.99 |
| 33 | Washington | $41,446 | $19.93 |
| 34 | Indiana | $42,749 | $20.55 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $42,366 | $20.37 |
| 36 | Georgia | $40,462 | $19.45 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $38,349 | $18.44 |
| 38 | Colorado | $38,999 | $18.75 |
| 39 | Kansas | $34,548 | $16.61 |
| 40 | Missouri | $37,611 | $18.08 |
| 41 | Idaho | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 42 | Alabama | $38,482 | $18.50 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $34,161 | $16.42 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $35,776 | $17.20 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $37,820 | $18.18 |
| 46 | Utah | $38,616 | $18.57 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $32,455 | $15.60 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $35,015 | $16.83 |
| 49 | Montana | $32,550 | $15.65 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $29,983 | $14.41 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $27,657 | $13.30 |
The highest-paying cities for veterinary pathologists are New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and Fremont, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $69,394 | $33.36 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,063 | $31.28 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $63,627 | $30.59 |
| 4 | Shrewsbury, MA | $60,811 | $29.24 |
| 5 | Reynoldsburg, OH | $54,234 | $26.07 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $48,772 | $23.45 |
| 7 | Greensboro, NC | $48,011 | $23.08 |
| 8 | Reno, NV | $47,235 | $22.71 |
| 9 | Coon Rapids, MN | $46,958 | $22.58 |
| 10 | Las Cruces, NM | $46,150 | $22.19 |
| 11 | Beaverton, OR | $44,748 | $21.51 |
| 12 | Columbia, SC | $44,727 | $21.50 |
| 13 | Skokie, IL | $43,707 | $21.01 |
| 14 | Ames, IA | $41,620 | $20.01 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $41,530 | $19.97 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $41,117 | $19.77 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $40,289 | $19.37 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,596 | $18.56 |
| 19 | Madison, WI | $37,342 | $17.95 |
| 20 | Hopkinsville, KY | $33,614 | $16.16 |
A veterinary pathologist's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $113,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $53,066 | $4,422 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
The highest paying types of veterinary pathologists are animal doctor, doctor of veterinary medicine, and veterinarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health Veterinarian | $62,550 | $5,212 | $30.07 | 63,067 |
| Emergency Veterinarian | $94,518 | $7,877 | $45.44 | 34,931 |
| Doctor Of Veterinary Medicine | $136,242 | $11,354 | $65.50 | 27,902 |
| Veterinarian | $109,524 | $9,127 | $52.66 | 13,255 |
Top companies hiring veterinary pathologists now:
Veterinary pathologist salaries at Emory Healthcare and Fred Hutch are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average veterinary pathologist salary at companies like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Medtronic are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory Healthcare | $101,220 | $48.66 |
| 2 | Fred Hutch | $99,853 | $48.01 |
| 3 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | $94,432 | $45.40 |
| 4 | Medtronic | $88,986 | $42.78 |
| 5 | Syngenta | $88,903 | $42.74 |
| 6 | Oregon Health & Science University | $82,986 | $39.90 |
| 7 | Neuralink IT Solutions | $81,304 | $39.09 |
| 8 | Emory University | $73,767 | $35.46 |
| 9 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | $64,013 | $30.78 |
| 10 | University of Georgia Small Business Development Center | $56,645 | $27.23 |
| 11 | WIL Research | $55,651 | $26.76 |
| 12 | Clemson University | $55,154 | $26.52 |
| 13 | University of Pennsylvania | $54,600 | $26.25 |
| 14 | Charles River Labs | $53,051 | $25.51 |
| 15 | Unh Law | $52,990 | $25.48 |
| 16 | University of Nebraska System | $51,594 | $24.80 |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin System | $50,682 | $24.37 |
| 18 | Iowa State University | $49,372 | $23.74 |
| 19 | Charles River Center | $40,930 | $19.68 |
| 20 | State of Ohio | $37,589 | $18.07 |
The average veterinary pathologist salary has risen by $8,742 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average veterinary pathologist earned $44,324 annually, but today, they earn $53,066 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for veterinary pathologists over the last decade.
Compare veterinary pathologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare veterinary pathologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,100 | $25.51 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $51,000 | $24.54 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $50,200 | $24.12 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $48,300 | $23.24 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $47,500 | $22.82 | +0.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray State University | Veterinary Pathologist/Assistant Professor | Hopkinsville, KY | 03/03/2025 | $103,256 |
| Trustees of Boston University | Veterinary Pathologist | Boston, MA | 01/15/2025 | $155,000 |
| Zoological Society of San Diego | Veterinary Pathologist | Escondido, CA | 11/04/2024 | $121,638 |
| Charles River Laboratories, Inc. | Veterinary Pathologist II | Shrewsbury, MA | 02/20/2024 | $188,625 |
| Charles River Laboratories, Inc. | Veterinary Pathologist II | Shrewsbury, MA | 02/20/2024 | $188,625 |
| Charles River Laboratories, Inc. | Veterinary Pathologist II | Shrewsbury, MA | 02/20/2024 | $188,625 |
| Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory | Veterinary Pathologist | College Station, TX | 02/16/2024 | $129,654 |
| Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory | Veterinary Pathologist | College Station, TX | 02/16/2024 | $129,654 |
| Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory | Veterinary Pathologist | College Station, TX | 02/02/2024 | $129,654 |
| Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory | Veterinary Pathologist | College Station, TX | 02/02/2024 | $129,654 |
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