Anesthesiologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $101,460 | $48.78 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $391,490 | $188.22 |
| Mean (average) | $360,570 | $173.35 |
| 90th percentile | $557,130 | $267.85 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Anesthesiologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 41 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $392,350 | $223,700 | $492,400 | ||
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 120 | 1.45 | ||
| Arizona | Data unavailable | ||||
| Connecticut | $481,820 | $75,050 | $529,860 | ||
| District of Columbia | $202,570 | $70,580 | $397,210 | 100 | 0.56 |
| Florida | $465,370 | $215,320 | $514,580 | 2,530 | 1.02 |
| Georgia | $230,000 | $169,710 | $494,270 | 1,040 | 0.86 |
| Idaho | $449,990 | $89,130 | $497,100 | ||
| Illinois | Data unavailable | 1,570 | 1.04 | ||
| Indiana | $394,060 | $217,040 | $512,160 | 1,460 | 1.83 |
| Iowa | Data unavailable | 450 | 1.15 | ||
| Kansas | $437,030 | $222,520 | $536,800 | 600 | 1.68 |
| Kentucky | $347,960 | $107,110 | $491,640 | 1,090 | 2.18 |
| Louisiana | $410,500 | $231,450 | $417,550 | 190 | 0.39 |
| Maine | Data unavailable | 200 | 1.23 | ||
| Maryland | $418,010 | $170,770 | $506,640 | ||
| Massachusetts | Data unavailable | 1,100 | 1.21 | ||
| Michigan | Data unavailable | 1,270 | 1.16 | ||
| Minnesota | $496,510 | $115,870 | $591,740 | 870 | 1.18 |
| Missouri | Data unavailable | ||||
| Montana | Data unavailable | ||||
| Nebraska | $334,210 | $234,710 | $512,180 | 260 | 1.02 |
| Nevada | Data unavailable | 50 | 0.14 | ||
| New Hampshire | $481,640 | $76,330 | $488,130 | 330 | 1.93 |
| New Mexico | $393,970 | $72,440 | $586,950 | 50 | 0.25 |
| New York | $445,660 | $136,760 | $561,000 | 7,230 | 3 |
| North Carolina | Data unavailable | 980 | 0.8 | ||
| North Dakota | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.54 | ||
| Ohio | $490,530 | $172,330 | $543,850 | 780 | 0.56 |
| Oregon | Data unavailable | 390 | 0.79 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $461,390 | $75,070 | $542,880 | 410 | 0.27 |
| Rhode Island | Data unavailable | 80 | 0.65 | ||
| South Carolina | $238,970 | $77,540 | $549,580 | 950 | 1.64 |
| South Dakota | Data unavailable | 210 | 1.86 | ||
| Tennessee | $330,620 | $75,260 | $442,360 | 840 | 1.03 |
| Texas | $215,230 | $168,750 | $488,670 | 2,800 | 0.8 |
| Utah | Data unavailable | ||||
| Vermont | $434,780 | $80,000 | $516,450 | 90 | 1.13 |
| Virginia | $488,310 | $42,100 | $507,500 | ||
| Washington | $499,990 | $239,000 | $646,940 | 1,540 | 1.74 |
| Wisconsin | $443,990 | $217,060 | $639,120 | 790 | 1.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for anesthesiologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for anesthesiologists
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Medicine CIP 51.1201
- Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy CIP 51.1202
- Emergency Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0103
- Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0108
- Pediatrics/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0119
- Anesthesiology Residency Program CIP 61.0401
- Anesthesiology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other CIP 61.0499
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
- Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
- Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
- Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
- Decide when patients have recovered or stabilized enough to be sent to another room or ward or to be sent home following outpatient surgery.
- Coordinate administration of anesthetics with surgeons during operation.
- Position patient on operating table to maximize patient comfort and surgical accessibility.
- Coordinate and direct work of nurses, medical technicians, and other health care providers.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (in demand)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- AetherPalm InfusiCalc
- Anesthesia machine software
- AtStaff Physician Scheduler
- Drug database software
- EDImis Anesthesia Manager
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Healthpac Medical Billing
- Medical calculator software
- Skyscape 5-Minute Clinical Consult
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Operations Monitoring, Instructing.
Common job titles: Anesthesiologist MD (Anesthesiologist Medical Doctor), Anesthesiology Resident, Attending Anesthesiologist, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist, Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Medical Doctor (MD), Obstetrical Anesthesiologist, Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Physician, Physician Anesthesiologist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do anesthesiologists make?
The national median annual wage for anesthesiologists was $391,490 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $101,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $557,130. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do anesthesiologists need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is anesthesiologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of anesthesiologists to change +3.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay anesthesiologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($499,990), Minnesota ($496,510), Ohio ($490,530). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.