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Pediatrician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$210,040median pay per year, or $100.98 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $91,470lowest 10% earn less
  2. $138,29025th percentile
  3. $210,040median
  4. $273,70075th percentile
  5. $338,500top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

General pediatricians had a median pay of $210,040 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects employment to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.5%[2]
Openings per year
1,000[5]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[6]

How much do pediatricians make?

The official BLS category is Pediatricians, General. The median pay was $210,040 a year, or $100.98 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $212,110 a year, or $101.98 an hour[7].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The median for pediatricians was well above that.

The range is wide:

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[3][8] $91,470 $43.98
25th[3][8] $138,290 $66.49
75th[3][8] $273,700 $131.59
90th[3][8] $338,500 $162.74

The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less than that amount[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Among 48 states and DC with published data, Louisiana had the highest median at $502,720, but that figure rests on about 40 jobs[11]. Idaho came next at $297,680, then New Hampshire at $273,410[11]. The District of Columbia had the lowest median in the list at $79,240[11].

The most jobs are in California (6,680), New York (4,570), Texas (2,740), Massachusetts (2,310) and Ohio (2,110)[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA had the highest median at $395,040[13]. Fresno, CA followed at $289,290, then San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA at $262,650[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ with 4,510 and a median of $216,040[14].

Show median pay in 48 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Louisiana[11]$502,72040
Idaho$297,68060
New Hampshire$273,410210
Montana$273,26050
Wisconsin$269,790350
Alaska$267,39060
Iowa$262,440230
South Dakota$257,61080
Maine$245,920130
Oklahoma$236,780280
North Dakota$234,95090
Arizona$233,9501,230
Minnesota$226,660890
Pennsylvania$226,4401,120
Oregon$224,690620
Missouri$223,910500
Massachusetts$221,1702,310
Delaware$219,190180
Rhode Island$218,080180
Ohio$217,9702,110
South Carolina$217,120420
Connecticut$216,8301,310
Vermont$215,350130
California$214,1406,680
New York$212,1504,570
Utah$210,360310
Kansas$209,840110
Alabama$209,490n/a
Michigan$204,6901,340
New Mexico$202,390270
New Jersey$201,5601,280
Hawaii$197,090470
Illinois$196,7601,180
Colorado$196,440570
Virginia$195,940750
Mississippi$183,65040
North Carolina$183,550740
Florida$182,010700
Maryland$181,640580
Indiana$177,3001,080
Tennessee$176,210740
Nebraska$175,990290
Kentucky$175,690380
Texas$173,3602,740
Washington$169,540480
Arkansas$160,440100
West Virginia$158,470140
Georgia$149,990n/a
District of Columbia$79,240n/a

How to become a pediatrician

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry, no related work experience, and an internship or residency as the typical training[6]. The training details below come from a BLS profile on physicians and surgeons that covers a wider group than pediatricians[15].

Board certification in a specialty is not required, but it may improve job opportunities[21]. Medical schools are highly competitive[22].

In an O*NET survey of 23 pediatricians, 78% said post-doctoral training is required and 20% said a doctoral degree[23].

What pediatricians do

Pediatricians care for children by finding and treating illnesses and injuries and by helping prevent them[24]. Typical tasks include[25]:

O*NET job titles include General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician and Emergency Room Pediatrician[26].

Where they work

The BLS profile for the wider physician group says doctors work in clinical settings such as offices and hospitals, and in nonclinical settings such as government agencies, nonprofits and insurance companies[27]. Those in group practices coordinate care but have less independence than solo practitioners[28]. In OEWS, about 39,390 wage and salary jobs were counted in May 2025[29]. BLS Employment Projections say 3.8% of pediatricians were self-employed in 2025[30].

In the wider group, full-time work is the norm, and some doctors work more than 40 hours a week[31]. Long shifts, overnight hours and on-call time can be part of the job[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of pediatricians to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,200 to 42,900 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[32]. BLS names one factor: a shrinking pediatric population, which holds back demand[33].

About 1,000 openings a year are projected[5]. Openings include workers who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year 1.8% of pediatricians are projected to leave the labor force and 0.4% to move to another occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show high pay compared with all occupations[1][4]. They also show a long road in. The typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree with a residency[6], and the wider physician profile counts 4 years of medical school plus 3 to 9 years of residency[17]. Growth is slower than the all-occupations rate[2][32], with about 1,000 openings a year[5]. Pay differs a lot by state and city[11][13], so local figures matter.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pediatrician make an hour?
The median was $100.98 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $43.98 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $162.74[8].
What degree do you need to be a pediatrician?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree and an internship or residency[6]. The wider physician profile names an M.D. or D.O. degree[16].
How long does it take to become a pediatrician?
The wider physician profile says medical school takes 4 more years after a bachelor's degree[17]. Residency typically lasts 3 to 9 years depending on the specialty[18].
Are pediatricians in demand?
BLS projects 1.5% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][32]. About 1,000 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for pediatricians?
Louisiana had the highest median at $502,720, based on about 40 jobs[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pediatricians, General in the US was $210,040 per year and $100.98 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Pediatricians, General is projected to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,200 to 42,900 jobs (a change of +600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pediatricians, General: 10th percentile $91,470, 25th percentile $138,290, 75th percentile $273,700, 90th percentile $338,500. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,000 openings for Pediatricians, General 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Pediatricians, General: 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
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Pediatricians, General was $212,110 per year and $101.98 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Pediatricians, General: 10th percentile $43.98, 25th percentile $66.49, 75th percentile $131.59, 90th percentile $162.74. 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. Median annual wage for Pediatricians, General in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Pediatricians, General jobs: California 6,680; New York 4,570; Texas 2,740; Massachusetts 2,310; Ohio 2,110. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Pediatricians, General (areas with at least 100 jobs): Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $395,040; Fresno, CA $289,290; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $262,650; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $242,160; Oklahoma City, OK $236,780; Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $234,380; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $233,950; Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $227,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Pediatricians, General jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,510 (median $216,040); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,080 (median $176,900); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,860 (median $221,170); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 1,080 (median $233,950); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,040 (median $124,190); Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 920 (median $170,020). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Physicians and Surgeons" covers Pediatricians, General together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. 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: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 29-1221.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Post-Doctoral Training 78%, Doctoral Degree 20% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Pediatricians, General. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Pediatricians, General. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET 29-1221.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Developmental Pediatrician, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Pediatric Physician, Physician. 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 OEWS, May 2025: about 39,390 people were employed as Pediatricians, General in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 3.8% of Pediatricians, General were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Pediatricians, General: Demand change - share decreases as the pediatric population shrinks, constraining demand for pediatricians. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Pediatricians, General: 1.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 0.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. 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.