How Much Money Does an Obstetrician Make?

There are many different types of doctors. While some doctors choose to go into general patient care, some choose to specialize in a particular type of medicine. One type of medical specialty is obstetrics. A doctor who specializes in obstetrics is called an obstetrician.

Identification

• An obstetrician is a medical doctor who specializes in caring for pregnant women. He cares for pregnant women throughout pregnancy and during labor. He also provides care for mothers right after childbirth.

Features

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average hourly rate for an obstetrician was $88.27 in 2007. The average annual salary was $183,600 in the same year. The BLS also estimates that the median--middle value--hourly rate for most obstetricians was more than $70 per hour in 2007.

Time Frame

• According to PayScale, an obstetrician's salary is likely to rise with his amount of time performing his job. For example, PayScale estimates that the 2008 median salary for obstetricians with less than one year of experience was $135,000. The median salary for obstetricians with five to nine years of experience was $197,334, and those with 20 years or more experience had a median salary of $243, 671.

Types

• According to PayScale, the median salary value for obstetricians depends on the type of employer. As of December 2008, PayScale estimates that those who worked for colleges and universities were among the lowest paid, with a median salary of about $78,611. Self-employed obstetricians were among the highest paid, with a median salary of about $243,480. The median salary for hospital-based obstetricians was about $173,967 while those working for nonprofits had a median salary of about $184,865.

Misconceptions

• It is a misconception that obstetricians' salaries are the same no matter what part of the country they work in. According to PayScale, the December 2008 median annual income for obstetricians was $200,000 in Boston but $152,605 in New York. Atlanta's median salary for obstetricians was $180,000 while Philadelphia's was $138,000.

Considerations

• A person must undergo rigorous education and training in order to become an obstetrician. This training may begin with high school, as taking advanced science and math courses can prepare individuals for advanced work in college and eventually medical school. A person must complete college and attend medical school in order to become an obstetrician. After completing medical school, a person must enter an obstetrics residency program in order to practice in the field. According to the Women's Health Channel, the residency program lasts for four years.