Healthcare

Veterinarian Salary in Arkansas (2026)

The average Veterinarian in Arkansas earns around $130,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $95,142/year ($7,929/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$95,142
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$7,929
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$3,659
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$46/hr
Federal Tax
$19,934
State Tax
$4,979
FICA Taxes
$9,945
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

26.81%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

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Veterinarian Salary Ranges in Arkansas

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$95,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$130,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$185,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Veterinarians earn the same — not even close

Arkansas's veterinarian market is distinctive in that AR has no in-state DVM-granting institution — AR veterinarians train at out-of-state programs (Oklahoma State University + Mississippi State University + Texas A&M + LSU + Auburn + Tuskegee) under substantial regional in-state tuition agreements (SREB Regional Contract Program with Oklahoma State). AR's substantial poultry industry anchors the AR veterinary market: Tyson Foods Springdale + Pilgrim's Pride + Mountaire Farms + Cargill (AR is the country's #2 US broiler producer ~$15B+ annual production) drives substantial AR poultry + production animal veterinary demand. AR substantial beef cattle industry (~1.7M head, ranking ~#10 US cattle producer), Walmart Pet Pharmacy + Banfield Pet Hospital + VCA chain practices, plus Hot Springs + Oaklawn racing equine veterinary work.

Senior Production Animal Vet (Poultry / Tyson)

$108,000–$155,000

Tyson + Pilgrim Pride + Mountaire + Cargill + George·s · poultry + broiler + breeder farm vet · USDA APHIS

Senior Production Animal Vet (Beef)

$105,000–$148,000

AR substantial beef cattle industry · AR Department of Agriculture + USDA APHIS · bovine + dairy

Senior Equine Vet (Oaklawn)

$108,000–$162,000+ TC

Equine vet at Oaklawn Hot Springs thoroughbred racing + AR Quarter Horse · racing season specialty

Senior Small Animal Vet (Banfield / VCA / Private)

$95,000–$148,000+ TC

Companion animal · Banfield + VCA + private practice · AR AAHA practices

Senior Emergency / Critical Care Vet

$118,000–$185,000+ TC

ER/CC vet at Little Rock + NW Arkansas Animal ER · DACVECC diplomate

Senior Walmart Pet Specialty Vet

$115,000–$175,000+

Walmart Pet Pharmacy + Sam Club Pet + the substantial Walmart pet category management vet team

Senior USDA APHIS / AR Department of Agriculture

$92,000–$142,000

USDA APHIS AR · AR Department of Agriculture · GS-12/13 federal civilian · livestock disease

Mid-Level Veterinarian (3-6 yrs)

$85,000–$118,000

Mid-career vet at AR enterprise · transitioning to specialty + ownership track

New Grad DVM (0-2 yrs)

$78,000–$105,000

New grad DVM · OK State + MS State + TAMU + LSU + Auburn out-of-state pipeline · entry band

Veterinary Practice Owner

$165,000–$385,000+

AR AAHA-accredited practice owner · Little Rock + NW Arkansas + Hot Springs · book of business

Worth knowing: Arkansas's substantial poultry industry is the country's most distinctive concentrated US poultry production veterinary market and a feature most national veterinarian compensation surveys understate for AR. AR is the country's #2 US broiler producer behind GA (~$15B+ annual AR broiler production + substantial AR poultry + commercial layer + production network across Tyson Foods Springdale + Pilgrim's Pride + Mountaire Farms + Cargill AR operations + George's poultry + Wayne-Sanderson Farms post-2022 LBO of Sanderson Farms with substantial AR operations + the substantial AR Department of Agriculture poultry licensing + AR USDA APHIS Veterinary Services + the substantial AR-Northwest Arkansas poultry-vet pipeline). Senior AR poultry production animal vets clear $108-155K. AR substantial beef cattle industry (~1.7M head + ranking ~#10 US cattle producer) supports substantial bovine + dairy veterinary work. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort Hot Springs (the substantial AR thoroughbred horse racing track + ~$50M+ annual handle + the substantial Oaklawn winter racing season + the substantial AR Quarter Horse + Standardbred + Thoroughbred horse industry) supports substantial AR equine veterinary work. Walmart Pet Pharmacy + Sam Club Pet (substantial Walmart-internal pet category management with substantial in-house veterinary advisory + Walmart-supplier pet brand veterinary work) supports substantial Walmart-facing pet category vet work. AR currently has no in-state DVM-granting institution — AR vet students primarily attend Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine (under SREB Regional Contract Program in-state tuition) + Mississippi State University CVM + Texas A&M + LSU + Auburn + Tuskegee under regional agreements + out-of-state tuition. The AR Veterinary Medical Association continues to advocate for an AR DVM school but as of 2026 AR remains DVM-school-less. USDA APHIS AR + AR Department of Agriculture + AR Livestock & Poultry Commission supports substantial federal civilian + state regulatory + livestock disease + food safety veterinary work at GS-12/13 federal civilian pay scale. AR progressive 2-4.4% top phasing 3.9% by 2026 + AR RTW since 1947 + AR property tax ~0.61% + no state estate tax.

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