Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations: pay, outlook, and education
Official pay, projected growth, openings, and entry requirements for 831 U.S. occupations. Filter, sort, and open any career for state and metro pay, skills, programs, and licenses.
71 occupations. Wages Verified data Growth and openings Official projection
| Occupation | Median wage | Change 2025 to 2035 | Openings per year | Employment | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric surgeons SOC 29-1243 | $559,030 | +2.0% | 0 | 1,300 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Cardiologists SOC 29-1212 | $496,010 | +4.8% | 500 | 18,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Radiologists SOC 29-1224 | $420,860 | +3.4% | 700 | 28,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Surgeons, all other SOC 29-1249 | $414,010 | +4.0% | 700 | 27,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Anesthesiologists SOC 29-1211 | $391,490 | +3.6% | 1,100 | 41,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric SOC 29-1242 | $358,550 | +4.0% | 400 | 15,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Oral and maxillofacial surgeons SOC 29-1022 | $352,220 | +5.6% | 200 | 5,600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Emergency medicine physicians SOC 29-1214 | $335,550 | +3.2% | 900 | 34,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Dermatologists SOC 29-1213 | $328,730 | +6.8% | 400 | 12,200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physicians, pathologists SOC 29-1222 | $312,400 | +4.8% | 300 | 11,800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Prosthodontists SOC 29-1024 | $311,180 | +5.8% | 0 | 1,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Ophthalmologists, except pediatric SOC 29-1241 | $300,080 | +4.5% | 200 | 9,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Obstetricians and gynecologists SOC 29-1218 | $292,910 | +1.7% | 500 | 22,800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Orthodontists SOC 29-1023 | $289,140 | +6.0% | 200 | 7,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Psychiatrists SOC 29-1223 | $281,870 | +7.2% | 900 | 30,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physicians, all other SOC 29-1229 | $265,930 | +3.4% | 9,400 | 367,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| General internal medicine physicians SOC 29-1216 | $256,560 | +4.0% | 1,900 | 73,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Neurologists SOC 29-1217 | $248,560 | +6.4% | 300 | 11,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Family medicine physicians SOC 29-1215 | $244,180 | +3.3% | 2,900 | 114,300 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Nurse anesthetists SOC 29-1151 | $236,590 | +9.7% | 2,400 | 54,500 | Master's degree |
| Dentists, all other specialists SOC 29-1029 | $224,990 | +1.3% | 100 | 5,800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Pediatricians, general SOC 29-1221 | $210,040 | +1.5% | 1,000 | 42,200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Dentists, general SOC 29-1021 | $170,950 | +5.7% | 4,200 | 141,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Podiatrists SOC 29-1081 | $160,300 | +2.0% | 200 | 10,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Medical dosimetrists SOC 29-2036 | $147,470 | +5.0% | 200 | 3,500 | Bachelor's degree |
| Pharmacists SOC 29-1051 | $140,910 | +5.2% | 12,500 | 325,200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Optometrists SOC 29-1041 | $136,570 | +9.5% | 2,000 | 45,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physician assistants SOC 29-1071 | $135,880 | +21.1% | 11,500 | 168,900 | Master's degree |
| Nurse midwives SOC 29-1161 | $134,040 | +11.5% | 400 | 8,200 | Master's degree |
| Nurse practitioners SOC 29-1171 | $132,300 | +41.0% | 29,400 | 336,300 | Master's degree |
| Veterinarians SOC 29-1131 | $130,100 | +9.4% | 3,100 | 91,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other SOC 29-1299 | $115,210 | +5.5% | 1,900 | 39,600 | Master's degree |
| Radiation therapists SOC 29-1124 | $105,310 | +2.8% | 700 | 17,400 | Associate's degree |
| Physical therapists SOC 29-1123 | $102,760 | +11.9% | 13,400 | 283,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Nuclear medicine technologists SOC 29-2033 | $101,370 | +4.4% | 800 | 17,400 | Associate's degree |
| Occupational therapists SOC 29-1122 | $100,330 | +14.8% | 10,000 | 169,600 | Master's degree |
| Genetic counselors SOC 29-9092 | $100,040 | +10.4% | 300 | 4,200 | Master's degree |
| Dental hygienists SOC 29-1292 | $98,100 | +8.0% | 15,000 | 225,300 | Associate's degree |
| Speech-language pathologists SOC 29-1127 | $97,870 | +16.6% | 12,500 | 193,400 | Master's degree |
| Registered nurses SOC 29-1141 | $97,550 | +5.6% | 180,800 | 3,465,400 | Bachelor's degree |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers SOC 29-2032 | $96,590 | +13.9% | 6,000 | 92,200 | Associate's degree |
| Audiologists SOC 29-1181 | $95,780 | +11.0% | 600 | 14,200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Magnetic resonance imaging technologists SOC 29-2035 | $95,480 | +7.7% | 2,300 | 43,900 | Associate's degree |
| Respiratory therapists SOC 29-1126 | $82,280 | +8.5% | 8,600 | 142,000 | Associate's degree |
| Orthotists and prosthetists SOC 29-2091 | $81,110 | +12.9% | 700 | 9,500 | Master's degree |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians SOC 29-2034 | $80,110 | +5.0% | 13,000 | 234,200 | Associate's degree |
| Chiropractors SOC 29-1011 | $79,200 | +8.7% | 2,600 | 61,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Therapists, all other SOC 29-1129 | $77,930 | +12.6% | 3,600 | 56,100 | Bachelor's degree |
| Dietitians and nutritionists SOC 29-1031 | $76,400 | +7.7% | 5,700 | 86,300 | Bachelor's degree |
| Acupuncturists SOC 29-1291 | $76,040 | +8.6% | 800 | 14,800 | Master's degree |
Employment is from BLS Employment Projections (2025) when OEWS does not publish it. Median wage is the OEWS May 2025 national median annual wage; hourly medians are shown where BLS publishes hourly wages only.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.