How Much Money Does a Pediatrician Make?

How much a pediatrician makes depends on a variety of factors, including location, place of employment and years of experience. Pediatricians also work with a large segment of the population. They are qualified to treat anybody under 21 and for a variety of diseases, from basic illnesses to genetic defects. Areas of specialization, more than anything, also have a great impact on the final salary of a pediatrician.

Identification

• Salaries for pediatricians do not vary much throughout the years. Pay scale estimates that recent graduates and those with less than two years of experience can expect an average salary of $101,548, while pediatricians with more than 20 years in the job earn an average of $136,586. Earnings go up steadily through the years, rather than jumping at any specific point in time, which is often common in other medical professions.

Types

• Pediatricians can earn more or less depending on whether they have a specialization in the field. According to the US Department of Labor, those who work in pediatric cardiology services, orthopedic care, emergency services, and neonatology tend to have the highest salaries, with averages over $120,000 a year. Other specialists, such as those working in community health programs or those practicing general pediatric care, should expect to earn on the lower end of the scale (around $103,000 a year).

Significance

• Pediatricians who work in hospital settings earn variable salaries depending on what unit they spend most of their time in. Ambulatory care and surgery centers offer the highest salaries in hospitals, averaging $146,498 a year. Even those in private practice tend to earn less, reaching a national average salary of $133,094.

Geography

• Geographical location has a noticeable effect on pediatricians' salaries. States with a high standard of living and better-paying jobs, like California ($124,132) and Florida ($121,824), command the highest salaries for pediatricians. An equally important geographical feature is the number of pediatricians working in a specific area. In New York, where medical centers and medical universities abound, graduates earn less ($115,861) than in areas where there is a high demand for health professionals, such as in Illinois ($132,997).

Features

• Most pediatricians work in hospital settings, usually as salaried workers. Salaries do not vary much in these areas, with government and federal employers paying an average of $118,689 and clinics averaging $121,072. Salaries go down slightly for those working in less traditional settings, such as college or universities ($113,577) and non-profit organizations or private companies ($119,973). The lowest end of the payment range goes to pediatricians who work in schools, with salaries as low as $58,800. The highest salaries go to those working in foundation or trust settings and commanding a yearly average of $128,014.