Emergency medicine physicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $103,610 | $49.81 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $335,550 | $161.32 |
| Mean (average) | $317,480 | $152.64 |
| 90th percentile | $495,910 | $238.42 |
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
Emergency medicine physicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 47 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.19 | ||
| Alaska | $452,620 | $120,420 | $472,870 | 190 | 2.76 |
| Arizona | Data unavailable | ||||
| Arkansas | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.22 | ||
| California | Data unavailable | 4,420 | 1.15 | ||
| Colorado | Data unavailable | 780 | 1.28 | ||
| Connecticut | $418,940 | $66,800 | $592,050 | 470 | 1.3 |
| District of Columbia | $318,200 | $235,610 | $318,720 | 120 | 0.8 |
| Florida | $204,990 | $182,950 | $672,830 | 2,060 | 0.98 |
| Georgia | $219,010 | $126,020 | $495,260 | ||
| Hawaii | Data unavailable | 110 | 0.8 | ||
| Idaho | $221,430 | $119,990 | $372,940 | 380 | 2.09 |
| Illinois | Data unavailable | 1,220 | 0.94 | ||
| Indiana | $347,060 | $220,790 | $486,870 | 1,170 | 1.73 |
| Iowa | $429,050 | $168,250 | $550,050 | 290 | 0.89 |
| Kentucky | $169,390 | $123,240 | $316,490 | 620 | 1.48 |
| Louisiana | Data unavailable | 470 | 1.16 | ||
| Maine | Data unavailable | 280 | 2.08 | ||
| Maryland | $451,620 | $220,020 | $479,180 | 550 | 0.95 |
| Massachusetts | $356,230 | $175,710 | $530,920 | 890 | 1.15 |
| Michigan | $417,760 | $117,780 | $466,930 | 910 | 0.98 |
| Minnesota | $390,940 | $125,750 | $504,070 | 990 | 1.59 |
| Mississippi | $252,960 | $174,990 | $568,810 | 450 | 1.83 |
| Missouri | $456,280 | $218,190 | $496,370 | ||
| Montana | Data unavailable | 140 | 1.28 | ||
| Nebraska | $371,880 | $71,290 | $511,340 | 390 | 1.79 |
| New Hampshire | Data unavailable | 310 | 2.11 | ||
| New Jersey | $315,340 | $73,880 | $391,500 | 500 | 0.56 |
| New Mexico | $405,130 | $158,680 | $454,480 | 340 | 1.85 |
| New York | $301,690 | $80,210 | $403,140 | 3,980 | 1.94 |
| North Carolina | $339,350 | $179,080 | $515,830 | 710 | 0.68 |
| North Dakota | $392,890 | $208,740 | $650,950 | 150 | 1.62 |
| Ohio | $377,480 | $130,370 | $513,210 | 1,170 | 0.99 |
| Oklahoma | $348,540 | $169,610 | $348,540 | 60 | 0.16 |
| Oregon | Data unavailable | 890 | 2.15 | ||
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 570 | 0.45 | ||
| Rhode Island | $512,730 | $73,920 | $566,150 | 290 | 2.74 |
| South Carolina | $341,960 | $116,020 | $385,790 | 80 | 0.16 |
| South Dakota | $393,870 | $210,850 | $461,290 | 170 | 1.71 |
| Texas | $316,830 | $71,930 | $407,430 | 780 | 0.26 |
| Utah | $140,370 | $136,870 | $323,470 | 140 | 0.38 |
| Vermont | $430,820 | $110,670 | $451,230 | 130 | 1.95 |
| Virginia | Data unavailable | 920 | 1.06 | ||
| Washington | $380,870 | $105,220 | $515,290 | ||
| West Virginia | $491,230 | $62,830 | $556,710 | 300 | 2.04 |
| Wisconsin | Data unavailable | 1,260 | 2.03 | ||
| Wyoming | Data unavailable |
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 emergency medicine physicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.7%.
- 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 emergency medicine physicians
- 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
- Family Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0104
- Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0110
- Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine/Critical Care Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0111
- Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0120
- Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.0202
- Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.0217
- Emergency Medicine Residency Program CIP 61.0601
- Disaster Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.0602
- Emergency Medical Services Fellowship Program CIP 61.0603
- Emergency Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other CIP 61.0699
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1907
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1908
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Select, request, perform, or interpret diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, emergency ultrasounds, and radiographs.
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs and priority of treatment.
- Perform emergency resuscitations on patients.
- Stabilize patients in critical condition.
- Perform such medical procedures as emergent cricothyrotomy, endotracheal intubation, and emergency thoracotomy.
- Analyze records, examination information, or test results to diagnose medical conditions.
- Consult with hospitalists and other professionals, such as social workers, regarding patients' hospital admission, continued observation, transition of care, or discharge.
- Conduct primary patient assessments that include information from prior medical care.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (in demand)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Attending Emergency Physician, Attending Physician, Emergency MD (Emergency Medicine Doctor), Emergency Medicine Physician (EM Physician), Emergency Physician, MD (Medical Doctor), Physician.
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 emergency medicine physicians make?
The national median annual wage for emergency medicine physicians was $335,550 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $103,610 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $495,910. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do emergency medicine physicians 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 emergency medicine physicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of emergency medicine physicians to change +3.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay emergency medicine physicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Rhode Island ($512,730), West Virginia ($491,230), Missouri ($456,280). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.