Veterinarian.
Madison.
$106,000
median salary, 5% below the national average
$87,000 to $131,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Madison is 5% cheaper than the national average. For Veterinarians, that shakes out to a median of $106,000, with the full range spanning $87,000 to $131,000. Practice type is the primary differentiator, with emergency, specialty, and equine or large animal vets earning above companion animal general practitioners. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $95,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$69,000
to $85,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$90,000
to $111,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$117,000
to $138,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$133,000
to $164,000
Salary trend
+6% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$106,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $128,000
How Madison compares
Madison, WI
$106,000
Cost of living: 5% below average
National Average
$112,000
Madison is $6,000 below
Veterinarian salary by city
Salary by role in Madison
What you should know
The Veterinarian landscape in Madison is not what most salary sites will tell you. Madison is a growing tech hub anchored by the University of Wisconsin and Epic Systems, one of the largest health IT companies. The city consistently ranks among the best places to live and has a thriving startup ecosystem. Salaries are competitive relative to the modest cost of living. Practice type is the primary differentiator, with emergency, specialty, and equine or large animal vets earning above companion animal general practitioners. Board certification in specialties like surgery, internal medicine, or oncology adds 30 to 60% over general practice. Geographic areas with vet shortages offer signing bonuses and premium salaries.
New graduate vets start at $88,000 to $100,000 in general practice. Mid-career vets with strong client bases earn $115,000 to $140,000. Practice owners or board-certified specialists can reach $160,000 to $250,000 depending on specialty and practice revenue. In Madison, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Veterinarians commonly receive production bonuses of 18 to 22% of personal production above a base salary. Benefits include CE allowances of $2,500 to $5,000, DEA license reimbursement, professional liability coverage, and increasingly, student loan repayment assistance programs. And on the tax side: wisconsin's top income tax rate is 7.65%. Madison has no city income tax. The moderate state rate is offset by the affordable cost of living and strong employer base. When someone quotes you $106,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Epic Systems compensation benchmarks. Epic sets the salary standard for tech in Madison and most employers in the area compete against their packages. The range for Veterinarians in Madison runs from $87,000 to $131,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A AI Real Estate Analyst in Madison earns $107,000 (1% more)
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Common questions.
Veterinarian salary in other cities
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