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Pathologist: 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.

$312,400median pay per year, or $150.19 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $92,540lowest 10% earn less
  2. $186,30025th percentile
  3. $312,400median
  4. $372,78075th percentile
  5. $449,970top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Pathologists, which BLS counts under Physicians, Pathologists, had median pay of $312,400 a year[1]. The entry path is a doctoral or professional degree followed by internship or residency training[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4.8%[5]
Openings per year
300[6]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[2]

How much do pathologists make?

The median pay for Physicians, Pathologists was $312,400 a year, or $150.19 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of the workers earned more than that and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $285,420 a year, or $137.22 an hour[7]. For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[4].

The range is wide. BLS publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries in the pay list. It does not publish a starting salary[8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $92,540 a year[3].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][9] $92,540 $44.49
25th[3][9] $186,300 $89.57
Median[1] $312,400 $150.19
75th[3][9] $372,780 $179.22
90th[3][9] $449,970 $216.33

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 11,110 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

BLS published a median for 35 states[12]. Pennsylvania came first at $413,370, followed by West Virginia at $400,070 and Nevada at $384,350[12]. Wisconsin was last on the list at $83,610[12]. Some of these medians rest on small job counts. Pennsylvania had 210 jobs, West Virginia 50 and Nevada 40[12].

California had the most jobs at 1,790, then Texas at 1,530 and New York at 1,220[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], the highest medians were in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL at $362,470, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $349,470 and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN at $342,090[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area had the most jobs at 1,140, with a median of $327,770[15].

Show median pay in 35 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Pennsylvania[12]$413,370210
West Virginia$400,07050
Nevada$384,35040
Illinois$381,770n/a
Minnesota$362,270550
New Jersey$355,970230
Texas$345,8301,530
Indiana$340,300380
Arizona$338,290270
Kentucky$324,390n/a
Iowa$323,46080
Rhode Island$322,950n/a
New York$321,5501,220
Oklahoma$317,850130
Florida$313,510370
Ohio$309,480600
Michigan$303,070140
Washington$300,680200
Colorado$294,51050
Massachusetts$285,240320
Missouri$261,830n/a
Mississippi$261,57050
Maryland$253,67070
North Carolina$248,940340
Virginia$240,780110
North Dakota$239,200+30
Oregon$239,200+150
South Carolina$236,95080
Nebraska$229,14090
Kansas$224,28030
Arkansas$214,100130
Georgia$211,800170
Vermont$188,250n/a
California$186,3001,790
Wisconsin$83,610130

How to become a pathologist

BLS says the typical entry education for Physicians, Pathologists is a doctoral or professional degree. Related work experience is not needed, and the typical training is an internship or residency[2]. The details below come from a BLS profile that covers physicians and surgeons as a wider group[16].

All states require a license, and the rules vary by state. To qualify, candidates must graduate from an accredited medical school and finish residency training[21]. Licensure also includes passing standardized national exams[22]. Board certification in a specialty is not required, but it may improve job opportunities. It takes a completed residency and a specialty exam from a medical certifying board[23].

In an O*NET survey of 35 workers in this occupation, 62% said post-doctoral training is required and 29% said a doctoral degree[24]. That is a small survey, so read it as a snapshot.

What pathologists do

Pathologists diagnose diseases and run lab tests using organs, body tissues and fluids. The O*NET description says the occupation includes medical examiners[25]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as anatomic pathologist, cytopathologist, forensic pathologist and neuropathologist[27].

Where they work

The BLS work environment text covers physicians and surgeons as a group. They work in clinical settings such as physicians' offices and hospitals, and in nonclinical settings such as government agencies, nonprofit organizations and insurance companies[28]. In a group practice or a larger healthcare organization, doctors can coordinate patient care but have less independence than solo practitioners[29].

Full-time work is the usual pattern for the group, and some work more than 40 hours a week[30]. Long shifts, irregular or overnight hours and being on call are mentioned too[30]. Conditions vary by specialty[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of Physicians, Pathologists to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035[5]. That is from about 11,800 to 12,400 jobs, a gain of 600[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[32]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[5], and 3.6% of these physicians were self-employed in 2025[33].

BLS expects about 300 openings a year on average[6]. Openings count jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.8% of workers leave the labor force and 0.4% move to a different occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is far above the all-occupations median[1][4], and employment is projected to grow a little faster than average[5][32]. The cost is a long road. After a bachelor's degree come 4 years of medical school and a residency of 3 to 9 years, with a license on top[17][20][21]. The openings count is small, about 300 a year, so the field is a narrow one[6].

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pathologist make an hour?
The median was $150.19 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $137.22 an hour[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $44.49 and the 90th was $216.33 an hour[9].
How many years does it take to become a pathologist?
After a bachelor's degree, medical school takes an additional 4 years, and residency usually takes 3 to 9 years depending on the specialty[17][20]. A subspecialty adds a fellowship of 1 to 3 years[20]. This comes from a BLS profile of physicians and surgeons as a wider group[16].
What degree do you need to be a pathologist?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[2]. For physicians and surgeons, that means an M.D. or a D.O. degree after a bachelor's degree[18].
Is pathology in demand?
BLS projects 4.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[5][32]. It expects about 300 openings a year[6].
What is the highest paying state for pathologists?
Pennsylvania, at a median of $413,370, followed by West Virginia at $400,070 and Nevada at $384,350[12]. Those states had small job counts[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physicians, Pathologists in the US was $312,400 per year and $150.19 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Physicians, Pathologists: 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
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physicians, Pathologists: 10th percentile $92,540, 25th percentile $186,300, 75th percentile $372,780, 90th percentile $449,970. 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: employment of Physicians, Pathologists is projected to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 11,800 to 12,400 jobs (a change of +600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Physicians, Pathologists 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 OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Physicians, Pathologists was $285,420 per year and $137.22 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. 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
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Physicians, Pathologists: 10th percentile $44.49, 25th percentile $89.57, 75th percentile $179.22, 90th percentile $216.33. 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: about 11,110 people were employed as Physicians, Pathologists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Physicians, Pathologists 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 Physicians, Pathologists jobs: California 1,790; Texas 1,530; New York 1,220; Ohio 600; Minnesota 550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Physicians, Pathologists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $362,470; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $349,470; Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $342,090; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $327,770; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $319,340; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $317,890; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $316,150; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $300,580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Physicians, Pathologists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,140 (median $327,770); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 480 (median $316,150); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 330 (median $319,340); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 280 (median $239,200 or more); Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 260 (median $342,090); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 240 (median $285,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Physicians and Surgeons" covers Physicians, Pathologists together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. 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 29-1222.00 survey of workers (35 respondents), education level they say is required: Post-Doctoral Training 62%, Doctoral Degree 29%, Master's Degree 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET description of Physicians, Pathologists. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Physicians, Pathologists. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET 29-1222.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Anatomic Pathologist, Cytopathologist, Dermatopathologist, Forensic Pathologist, Hematopathologist, Neuropathologist, Oral Pathologist, Pathologist. O*NET OnLine
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. 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: 3.6% of Physicians, Pathologists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Physicians, Pathologists: 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.