Neurologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $83,370 | $40.08 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $248,560 | $119.50 |
| Mean (average) | $267,630 | $128.67 |
| 90th percentile | $450,780 | $216.72 |
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
Neurologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 32 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $354,760 | $71,990 | $547,200 | 100 | 4.46 |
| Arizona | $409,610 | $78,270 | $429,050 | 80 | 0.35 |
| Arkansas | $317,880 | $223,310 | $330,680 | 70 | 0.76 |
| California | $357,080 | $104,320 | $357,080 | 1,090 | 0.88 |
| Colorado | $356,250 | $186,700 | $477,280 | 120 | 0.62 |
| Connecticut | $320,680 | $66,800 | $498,550 | 120 | 1.02 |
| District of Columbia | $332,000 | $91,700 | $332,130 | 50 | 0.94 |
| Florida | $322,750 | $81,040 | $344,540 | 520 | 0.77 |
| Georgia | Data unavailable | 120 | 0.35 | ||
| Illinois | $237,080 | $84,720 | $481,010 | 240 | 0.58 |
| Indiana | $220,210 | $74,790 | $516,670 | 360 | 1.63 |
| Kansas | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.62 | ||
| Kentucky | $338,850 | $72,830 | $463,040 | 230 | 1.72 |
| Maine | Data unavailable | 50 | 1.15 | ||
| Maryland | $302,840 | $140,160 | $405,380 | ||
| Michigan | Data unavailable | 120 | 0.41 | ||
| Minnesota | $381,670 | $80,410 | $442,500 | 310 | 1.56 |
| Nebraska | $269,270 | $122,020 | $377,880 | 80 | 1.22 |
| New Jersey | $222,120 | $75,470 | $418,360 | 140 | 0.48 |
| New York | $155,990 | $101,060 | $377,570 | 2,810 | 4.25 |
| North Carolina | $325,550 | $91,930 | $379,310 | 180 | 0.52 |
| Ohio | Data unavailable | 940 | 2.49 | ||
| Oregon | Data unavailable | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 30 | 0.08 | ||
| South Carolina | $352,680 | $168,200 | $474,400 | 40 | 0.28 |
| Tennessee | $229,670 | $76,500 | $535,990 | 220 | 1 |
| Texas | $360,640 | $99,490 | $449,840 | 660 | 0.69 |
| Utah | Data unavailable | 100 | 0.81 | ||
| Vermont | $434,730 | $99,410 | $483,920 | 40 | 2.01 |
| Washington | $327,140 | $93,440 | $406,450 | 180 | 0.76 |
| West Virginia | $63,500 | $63,500 | $280,830 | 60 | 1.15 |
| Wisconsin | $342,520 | $76,630 | $495,650 | 130 | 0.63 |
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 neurologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 300. 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 neurologists
- 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
- Internal Medicine/Neurology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0114
- Psychiatry/Neurology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0124
- Neurology Residency Program CIP 61.1101
- Child Neurology Residency Program CIP 61.1102
- Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1103
- Epilepsy Fellowship Program CIP 61.1104
- Headache Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1105
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship Program CIP 61.1106
- Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1107
- Neurology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other CIP 61.1199
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories.
- Examine patients to obtain information about functional status of areas, such as vision, physical strength, coordination, reflexes, sensations, language skills, cognitive abilities, and mental status.
- Perform or interpret the outcomes of procedures or diagnostic tests, such as lumbar punctures, electroencephalography, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity tests.
- Order or interpret results of laboratory analyses of patients' blood or cerebrospinal fluid.
- Diagnose neurological conditions based on interpretation of examination findings, histories, or test results.
- Prescribe or administer medications, such as anti-epileptic drugs, and monitor patients for behavioral and cognitive side effects.
- Identify and treat major neurological system diseases and disorders, such as central nervous system infection, cranio spinal trauma, dementia, and stroke.
- Develop treatment plans based on diagnoses and on evaluation of factors, such as age and general health, or procedural risks and costs.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Allscripts PM
- Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR
- Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- CareCloud Central
- Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management
- Email software
- Epic Practice Management
- GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution
- GalacTek ECLIPSE
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Persuasion, Instructing.
Common job titles: Adult and Pediatric Neurologist, Adult Neurologist, General Neurologist, Neurologist, Pediatric Neurologist, 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 neurologists make?
The national median annual wage for neurologists was $248,560 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $83,370 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $450,780. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do neurologists 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 neurologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of neurologists to change +6.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay neurologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Vermont ($434,730), Arizona ($409,610), Minnesota ($381,670). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.