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Obgyn: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$292,910median pay per year, or $140.82 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $94,680lowest 10% earn less
  2. $179,81025th percentile
  3. $292,910median
  4. $369,39075th percentile
  5. $437,300top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

An obgyn had a median pay of $292,910 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, which is slower than the 3.5% rate for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.7%[2]
Openings per year
500[6]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[7]

How much do obgyns make?

The median wage for obstetricians and gynecologists was $292,910 a year, or $140.82 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $279,040 a year, or $134.16 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $94,680, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $179,810[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $369,390, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $437,300[4]. BLS does not publish a starting salary. It publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries in the pay range[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits[10].

Measure Hourly Annual
10th percentile[11][4] $45.52 $94,680
25th percentile[11][4] $86.45 $179,810
Median[1] $140.82 $292,910
75th percentile[11][4] $177.59 $369,390
90th percentile[11][4] $210.24 $437,300

Pay by state and city

Utah had the highest state median at $437,170, followed by Alaska at $421,450 and Vermont at $418,760[12]. Published state data covers 44 states and DC[12]. Some states show a median of $239,200 or more[12].

New York had the most obgyn jobs at 2,750, then Florida at 1,620, California at 1,610, Texas at 1,460 and Illinois at 1,290[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Rochester, MN had the highest median at $393,340. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA came next at $375,400, then Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN at $358,070[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs among listed metros, at 2,470, with a median of $329,750[15].

Show median pay in 44 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Utah[12]$437,170200
Alaska$421,45050
Vermont$418,76090
North Dakota$414,06070
Louisiana$404,55080
Oregon$395,340270
Maine$379,930100
Oklahoma$370,26060
Arizona$369,720130
Iowa$356,020180
Tennessee$354,580360
Georgia$354,000350
Indiana$351,990430
New York$348,8002,750
New Hampshire$348,140140
Washington$343,140270
Nebraska$342,570180
Hawaii$338,130140
Delaware$324,080190
Minnesota$321,910750
Kentucky$317,110240
Maryland$306,310160
Wisconsin$304,990450
South Carolina$302,340350
California$301,2401,610
West Virginia$300,810100
South Dakota$297,61080
Virginia$282,410n/a
Massachusetts$272,240620
Texas$271,9601,460
New Mexico$259,990110
Arkansas$239,200+160
Colorado$239,200+410
District of Columbia$239,200+70
Pennsylvania$239,200+260
New Jersey$228,870740
Idaho$223,560110
Kansas$220,770n/a
Alabama$210,380120
Michigan$209,650880
Illinois$208,0001,290
Connecticut$200,580330
Ohio$181,520970
Rhode Island$166,390140
North Carolina$134,540590

How to become an obgyn

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education, with internship or residency as the usual training[7]. The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers physicians and surgeons as a wider group[16].

Some doctors add a fellowship of 1 to 3 years for a subspecialty[20]. Board certification in a specialty is not required, but it may improve job options[23].

In an O*NET survey of 15 obgyns, 74% said post-doctoral training was required and 23% said a doctoral degree[24].

What obgyns do

Obgyns provide medical care around pregnancy and childbirth. They also diagnose and treat conditions of the female reproductive system[25]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

The BLS profile for physicians and surgeons says they work in clinical settings such as offices and hospitals, and in nonclinical ones such as government agencies, nonprofits and insurers[27]. In group practices, doctors can coordinate care but have less independence than solo practitioners[28]. About 3.8% of obgyns were self-employed in 2025[29].

For physicians and surgeons as a group, BLS says most work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week[30]. Long shifts, overnight hours and being on call are common[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects obgyn employment to grow 1.7%[2] from 2025 to 2035, from about 22,800 to 23,200 jobs[2]. That is a gain of 400 jobs[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[3].

About 500 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.8% of obgyns leave the labor force and 0.4% move to another occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with high pay but slower growth than the all-occupation rate[1][2][3]. The cost is a long path. Medical school takes 4 years and residency usually takes 3 to 9 years, based on the wider physician profile[18][20]. Pay also varies a lot, from $94,680 at the 10th percentile to $437,300 at the 90th[4]. Work schedules for physicians can include long shifts and on-call time[30].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an obgyn make a year?
The median was $292,910 a year in May 2025, and the average was $279,040[1][8].
How much does an obgyn make an hour?
The median was $140.82 an hour[1].
What degree do you need to be an obgyn?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree, with internship or residency training[7].
How long does it take to become an obgyn?
For physicians and surgeons, medical school takes an additional 4 years and residency typically lasts 3 to 9 years[18][20].
What is the highest paying state for obgyns?
Utah had the highest median at $437,170 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Obstetricians and Gynecologists in the US was $292,910 per year and $140.82 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is projected to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 22,800 to 23,200 jobs (a change of +400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Obstetricians and Gynecologists: 10th percentile $94,680, 25th percentile $179,810, 75th percentile $369,390, 90th percentile $437,300. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 500 openings for Obstetricians and Gynecologists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Obstetricians and Gynecologists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Obstetricians and Gynecologists was $279,040 per year and $134.16 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Obstetricians and Gynecologists: 10th percentile $45.52, 25th percentile $86.45, 75th percentile $177.59, 90th percentile $210.24. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Obstetricians and Gynecologists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Obstetricians and Gynecologists jobs: New York 2,750; Florida 1,620; California 1,610; Texas 1,460; Illinois 1,290. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Obstetricians and Gynecologists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Rochester, MN $393,340; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $375,400; Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $358,070; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $354,000; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $353,740; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $343,140; Omaha, NE-IA $342,570; Urban Honolulu, HI $338,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Obstetricians and Gynecologists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,470 (median $329,750); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,120 (median $208,000); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 770 (median $321,260); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 550 (median $209,550); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 500 (median $235,460); Columbus, OH 490 (median $179,810). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Physicians and Surgeons" covers Obstetricians and Gynecologists together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET 29-1218.00 survey of workers (15 respondents), education level they say is required: Post-Doctoral Training 74%, Doctoral Degree 23% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET description of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Obstetricians and Gynecologists. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Employment Projections: 3.8% of Obstetricians and Gynecologists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Obstetricians and Gynecologists: 1.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 0.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.