Pediatricians, general salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $91,470 | $43.98 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $210,040 | $100.98 |
| Mean (average) | $212,110 | $101.98 |
| 90th percentile | $338,500 | $162.74 |
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
Pediatricians, general pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $209,490 | $168,700 | $388,160 | ||
| Alaska | $267,390 | $224,040 | $347,880 | 60 | 0.68 |
| Arizona | $233,950 | $111,020 | $408,620 | 1,230 | 1.5 |
| Arkansas | $160,440 | $64,090 | $300,440 | 100 | 0.31 |
| California | $214,140 | $102,600 | $372,460 | 6,680 | 1.45 |
| Colorado | $196,440 | $107,990 | $284,190 | 570 | 0.79 |
| Connecticut | $216,830 | $90,890 | $328,620 | 1,310 | 3.06 |
| Delaware | $219,190 | $82,540 | $302,300 | 180 | 1.47 |
| District of Columbia | $79,240 | $79,240 | $221,960 | ||
| Florida | $182,010 | $68,590 | $239,990 | 700 | 0.28 |
| Georgia | $149,990 | $87,480 | $254,560 | ||
| Hawaii | $197,090 | $102,260 | $289,860 | 470 | 2.97 |
| Idaho | $297,680 | $169,880 | $366,480 | 60 | 0.29 |
| Illinois | $196,760 | $106,520 | $376,850 | 1,180 | 0.76 |
| Indiana | $177,300 | $140,450 | $277,150 | 1,080 | 1.34 |
| Iowa | $262,440 | $69,670 | $374,340 | 230 | 0.59 |
| Kansas | $209,840 | $127,550 | $310,110 | 110 | 0.31 |
| Kentucky | $175,690 | $65,160 | $338,450 | 380 | 0.74 |
| Louisiana | $502,720 | $161,820 | $555,290 | 40 | 0.08 |
| Maine | $245,920 | $117,960 | $344,790 | 130 | 0.82 |
| Maryland | $181,640 | $134,620 | $295,810 | 580 | 0.83 |
| Massachusetts | $221,170 | $125,170 | $324,950 | 2,310 | 2.51 |
| Michigan | $204,690 | $81,550 | $307,240 | 1,340 | 1.2 |
| Minnesota | $226,660 | $83,920 | $354,620 | 890 | 1.19 |
| Mississippi | $183,650 | $112,120 | $328,010 | 40 | 0.15 |
| Missouri | $223,910 | $65,850 | $344,020 | 500 | 0.67 |
| Montana | $273,260 | $161,060 | $385,460 | 50 | 0.39 |
| Nebraska | $175,990 | $71,120 | $460,280 | 290 | 1.11 |
| New Hampshire | $273,410 | $104,030 | $334,800 | 210 | 1.21 |
| New Jersey | $201,560 | $79,800 | $308,390 | 1,280 | 1.18 |
| New Mexico | $202,390 | $112,320 | $313,200 | 270 | 1.21 |
| New York | $212,150 | $82,320 | $357,440 | 4,570 | 1.86 |
| North Carolina | $183,550 | $85,220 | $297,220 | 740 | 0.59 |
| North Dakota | $234,950 | $155,320 | $291,110 | 90 | 0.79 |
| Ohio | $217,970 | $163,780 | $296,660 | 2,110 | 1.5 |
| Oklahoma | $236,780 | $177,880 | $376,880 | 280 | 0.65 |
| Oregon | $224,690 | $165,440 | $312,530 | 620 | 1.24 |
| Pennsylvania | $226,440 | $135,370 | $356,540 | 1,120 | 0.73 |
| Puerto Rico | $98,350 | $84,870 | $127,330 | 1,020 | 4.28 |
| Rhode Island | $218,080 | $114,650 | $302,640 | 180 | 1.42 |
| South Carolina | $217,120 | $119,020 | $372,000 | 420 | 0.71 |
| South Dakota | $257,610 | $212,910 | $385,810 | 80 | 0.73 |
| Tennessee | $176,210 | $69,110 | $376,660 | 740 | 0.9 |
| Texas | $173,360 | $77,570 | $366,790 | 2,740 | 0.77 |
| Utah | $210,360 | $121,790 | $347,540 | 310 | 0.7 |
| Vermont | $215,350 | $86,790 | $373,000 | 130 | 1.65 |
| Virginia | $195,940 | $89,850 | $352,170 | 750 | 0.72 |
| Washington | $169,540 | $95,200 | $299,010 | 480 | 0.54 |
| West Virginia | $158,470 | $62,510 | $293,940 | 140 | 0.76 |
| Wisconsin | $269,790 | $75,590 | $337,560 | 350 | 0.46 |
| Wyoming | Data unavailable | 100 | 1.41 |
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 pediatricians, general
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.8%.
- 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 pediatricians, general
- 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/Pediatrics Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0115
- Pediatrics/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0119
- Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0120
- Pediatrics/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0121
- Pediatrics/Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0122
- Pediatrics/Psychology/Child-Adolescent Psychology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0123
- Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1703
- Pediatrics Residency Program CIP 61.1901
- Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1902
- Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Program CIP 61.1903
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Program CIP 61.1904
- Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1905
- Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1906
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1907
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.1908
- Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1909
- Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1910
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1911
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program CIP 61.1912
- Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1913
- Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1914
- Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1915
- Pediatric Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program CIP 61.1917
- Pediatrics Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other CIP 61.1999
- Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellowship Program CIP 61.2003
- Pediatric Radiology Fellowship Program CIP 61.2609
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
- Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
- Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns.
- Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis.
- Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients and parents or guardians.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (in demand)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Advanced Data Systems MedicsDocAssistant for Pediatrics
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- ChartWare EMR
- Drug reference software
- EMR Experts Pediatric EMR
- Email software
- Epic Systems software
- MedcomSoft Record
- Medical information databases
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- SOAPware EMR
- Scheduling software
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Service Orientation, Coordination, Instructing.
Common job titles: Developmental Pediatrician, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Pediatric Physician, Physician, Primary Care Pediatrician.
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 pediatricians, general make?
The national median annual wage for pediatricians, general was $210,040 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $91,470 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $338,500. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do pediatricians, general 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 pediatricians, general a growing career?
BLS projects employment of pediatricians, general to change +1.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay pediatricians, general the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Louisiana ($502,720), Idaho ($297,680), New Hampshire ($273,410). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.