16 BILLS TRACKED
Wellness exam (office visit)
The front door of every vet bill. The same 15-minute exam runs from a low office-visit fee to a lot more, depending on the clinic and the city.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 47% more than the advertised list price for wellness exam.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Quoted vs actually paid (real submissions)
The strongest signal there is: what one person was quoted, and what the same job actually cost them.
- quoted $39↔paid $390%
Exam line item within a GA vaccine visit
- quoted $65↔paid $650%
Exam line item within a Uxbridge MA vaccine visit
| Year | Region | Practice | What it was | List | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pennsylvania | Independent / charity | general office visit / exam feeClinic-level real-invoice line item, Shavertown, PA (1-5 real bills on file); exact date not shown. | — | $25 | source |
| 2026 | New Jersey | Independent / charity | Wellness visit fee (low-cost clinic)People for Animals NJ wellness visit fee per animal | $30 | — | source |
| 2026 | Iowa | Independent / charity | Wellness exam (new/current patient)Independent clinic published price list; separate sick-visit exam fee is $55 (current wellness patients) or $81 (new patients). | $33 | — | source |
| 2020 | Georgia | Independent / charity | Office visit / exam fee (private vet)Exam line item within a GA vaccine visit | — | $39quoted $39 | source |
| 2017 | Oregon | Unknown | Vet exam feeYelp Q&A thread for VCA Woodstock Animal Hospital, Portland OR; a responder said current rate there is $60-65. | — | $49 | source |
| 2026 | North Carolina | Independent / charity | Wellness / annual consult (low-cost clinic)Stand For Animals consult/annual $60-75; sick visit $40-60; tech visit $15 | $60 | — | source |
| 2017 | Massachusetts | Independent / charity | Office visit / exam fee (private vet)Exam line item within a Uxbridge MA vaccine visit | — | $65quoted $65 | source |
| 2025 | Pennsylvania | Independent / charity | wellness office visit / exam feeClinic-level real-invoice line item, Philadelphia, PA; exact date not shown. | — | $75 | source |
| 2026 | US unspecified | Unknown | Wellness exam / office visit (median of real bills)Median of 1,600+ real invoices; typical $58-160; recheck $69, emergency exam $160, specialist $200 | $86 | — | source |
| 2025 | California | Corporate / chain | medical condition exam/consultationReal invoice-based line item at a VCA corporate hospital, Sacramento, CA; exact date not shown. | — | $101 | source |
| 2026 | California | Unknown | Wellness exam / office visit (state median)California median exam fee (highest); WA $105, MI $85, FL $79, TX $72, NC $65 | $109 | — | source |
| 2025 | Pennsylvania | Unknown | annual wellness exam with vaccinesCombined exam+vaccines total from a real submitted invoice; exact date not shown. | — | $156 | source |
| 2025 | Arizona | Unknown | exam visit combined with parvo testReal submitted invoice combining an exam fee with a parvo test; exact date not shown. | — | $172 | source |
| 2025 | North Carolina | Unknown | wellness exam with dewormingIncludes deworming in addition to the exam; real submitted invoice, exact date not shown. | — | $209 | source |
| 2025 | National | Unknown | Dog routine/wellness vet visit (total)Median from analysis of 48 real vet invoices; typical range $120-$446. State medians ranged from $126 (Arizona) to $323 (Pennsylvania). | $243survey avg | — | source |
| 2025 | Illinois | Unknown | annual checkup with exam, rabies vaccine and fecal testBundled visit total covering exam + rabies vaccine + fecal test, cited on Vet Receipt's homepage as an example real bill. | — | $245 | source |
Common questions
How much does wellness exam cost in the US?
Across 16 real prices US pet owners actually paid, the median is $81, running from $25 to $245. These are real prices people reported, not clinic estimates.
Why do wellness exam prices vary so much?
US vet prices are not published or regulated, so the same procedure swings with the clinic, the city and the state. Corporate-owned hospitals often charge more than independents, and an emergency room visit costs a multiple of a day practice.
Is wellness exam cheaper at an independent vet?
Often, yes. Independent and nonprofit clinics tend to run below the big corporate chains for comparable work. Since prices are rarely posted, calling two or three nearby is worth it.
Related free guides
- How Much Is a Vet Wellness Exam, and What's Included? →
- Are Corporate Vet Hospitals More Expensive Than Independent Clinics? →
- How Can You Save Money on Your Pet's Annual Checkup? →
- How Much Do Dog and Cat Vaccinations Cost? →
- Where Can You Get Low-Cost Pet Vaccinations? →
- What Does a Puppy or Kitten's First Year of Vaccines Cost? →
Methodology: prices here are bills people reported in public posts or crowdsourced invoice databases, or submitted directly. Each row links to its source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix or remove it fast.