Pediatricians are medical doctors who diagnose, treat, and prevent the ailments and diseases of infants, children, teenagers, and young adults. They treat and care newborns and patients until the age of 21.
Pediatricians typically work with a group in a hospital and have their own clinics but they can also be self-employed in their own offices. Aside from diagnosing medical conditions, pediatricians also monitor a child’s proper physical and mental growth, such as evaluating whether or not a child is developing in a normal state.
They generally reduce infant and child mortality, ease the daily lives of patients who have chronic conditions, as well as foster healthy lifestyles.
In order to become a pediatrician you will need to go through many years of studying.
Pediatrician Salary
How much does a pediatrician make? The average annual salary for pediatricians is $172,650 or an equivalent of $83.00 per hour.
The average annual salaries in terms of industries are as follow: $192,510 for offices and/or clinics, $174,200 for general medical and surgical hospitals, $189,400 for outpatient care centers, $82,770 for colleges, universities, and professional schools, and $223,490 for specialty hospitals.
A pediatrician’s starting salary depends on a number of factors such as geographic region of practice, number of years in the profession, hours of work, skill, and professional reputation.
Top 5 Paying States
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Montana | 0.23 | $113.79 | $236,690 |
 | Utah | 0.19 | $113.66 | $236,410 |
 | South Dakota | 0.08 | $109.23 | $227,200 |
 | Mississippi | 0.08 | $107.89 | $224,410 |
 | Nebraska | 0.24 | $99.75 | $207,480 |
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty Hospitals | 0.13 | $100.55 | $209,140 |
| Employment Services | – | $97.29 | $202,370 |
| Local Government | – | $91.01 | $189,300 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | – | $87.75 | $182,510 |
| Offices of Physicians | 0.96 | $86.14 | $179,170 |
Pediatrician Job Description
What does a pediatrician do? Generally, a pediatrician is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and ailments of infants, children, teenagers, and young adults until the age of 21. Simply put, a pediatrician diagnoses and treats medical problems of younger people.
Most pediatricians treat common illnesses, infectious diseases, minor injuries, and administrative vaccinations. They also often work with other doctors who specialize in different fields of medicine.
Among the specific duties of a pediatrician include reviewing a patient’s medical history, ordering tests to be done by nurses for the patients, reviewing test results and analyzing data, updating charts and patient information, recommending and creating a plan of treatment, helping parents to take care of their children’s health, and prescribing medicine. Some pediatricians also specialize in pediatric surgery and perform procedures on their young patients.
Pediatricians often work in hospitals and have a designated team of staff or nurses. Some pediatricians also have their private clinics that are separate from hospitals. They work full time and round the clock, as they must be available 24/7 for emergencies. They can work in the ER of a hospital, in the pediatrics ward, or specialize in neonatal intensive care.
Among the different specialties of pediatricians are pediatric cardiology, pediatric pulmonology, opthalmology neurology, neonatology, allergy and immunology, infectious diseases, nephrology and other fields of specializations.
Pediatricians also work with newborn babies that have just been delivered. Often, before the child is born, mothers already appoint a pediatrician to take care of their babies once they deliver in the hospital or clinic. Pediatricians check for congenital defects and other genetic variance, as well as the general health of the baby. Pediatricians also recommend certain procedures to be done when a medical problem is found in the newborn baby. They also advice the parents on milk supplement preferences and vaccinations that need to be administered.
A typical day for a pediatrician involves visiting admitted patients, evaluating patients in an emergency room when needed, and visiting patients in the newborn nursery before starting his/her consultations at around 9am in the morning. Clinic hours typically last until the late afternoon.
Pediatrician Job Outlook
The projected increase in physicians and surgeons in general is seen at 15% from 2016 to 2026, which is faster than other occupations. The increase is seen to be caused by continued expansion of healthcare industries in the country, as well as a growing accessibility to medical care through health insurance.
A growing population will also increase the demand for pediatricians in the following years. New developments in technology and research will make certain medical procedures faster, allowing for pediatricians to handle larger numbers of patients, or to open up new opportunities for employment in the field.
Because a pediatrician’s job is highly flexible and encompasses many fields, finding employment in the industry will be easier compared to other occupations. Those who are willing to relocate to rural areas are also seen to have better job prospects as more doctors are expected to be in demand in these areas in the following years.
Pediatrician Salary by State
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Alabama | 0.248 | $88.26 | $183,580 |
 | Alaska | 0.165 | $90.87 | $189,010 |
 | Arizona | 0.276 | $68.78 | $143,060 |
 | Arkansas | 0.118 | $95.15 | $197,900 |
 | California | 0.311 | $87.55 | $182,100 |
 | Colorado | 0.144 | $89.70 | $186,570 |
 | Connecticut | 0.338 | $82.18 | $170,930 |
 | Delaware | (8)- | $76.37 | $158,850 |
 | Florida | 0.165 | $82.61 | $171,840 |
 | Georgia | 0.239 | $80.35 | $167,120 |
 | Hawaii | 0.108 | $82.59 | $171,800 |
 | Idaho | 0.111 | $80.41 | $167,250 |
 | Illinois | 0.172 | $68.79 | $143,080 |
 | Indiana | 0.179 | $95.84 | $199,340 |
 | Iowa | 0.079 | $87.63 | $182,280 |
 | Kansas | (8)- | $72.61 | $151,040 |
 | Kentucky | 0.312 | $83.70 | $174,090 |
 | Louisiana | 0.126 | $80.86 | $168,200 |
 | Maine | 0.246 | $87.44 | $181,880 |
 | Maryland | 0.295 | $78.26 | $162,780 |
 | Massachusetts | 0.65 | $89.53 | $186,210 |
 | Michigan | 0.19 | $88.80 | $184,710 |
 | Minnesota | 0.188 | $90.41 | $188,050 |
| Mississippi | 0.082 | $107.89 | $224,410 |
 | Missouri | 0.084 | $85.96 | $178,800 |
| Montana | 0.232 | $113.79 | $236,690 |
| Nebraska | 0.241 | $99.75 | $207,480 |
 | Nevada | 0.11 | $68.61 | $142,710 |
 | New Hampshire | 0.224 | $93.24 | $193,940 |
 | New Jersey | 0.332 | $83.40 | $173,480 |
 | New Mexico | 0.078 | $89.44 | $186,040 |
 | New York | 0.28 | $81.92 | $170,400 |
 | North Carolina | 0.2 | $93.67 | $194,830 |
 | North Dakota | – | – | – |
 | Ohio | 0.287 | $73.92 | $153,760 |
 | Oklahoma | 0.108 | $97.15 | $202,070 |
 | Oregon | 0.318 | $89.06 | $185,240 |
 | Pennsylvania | 0.065 | $67.64 | $140,690 |
 | Rhode Island | 0.262 | $85.75 | $178,370 |
 | South Carolina | 0.103 | $88.96 | $185,040 |
| South Dakota | 0.081 | $109.23 | $227,200 |
 | Tennessee | 0.241 | $89.88 | $186,950 |
 | Texas | 0.274 | $88.70 | $184,490 |
| Utah | 0.195 | $113.66 | $236,410 |
 | Vermont | 0.729 | $68.03 | $141,510 |
 | Virginia | 0.275 | $76.38 | $158,860 |
 | Washington | 0.104 | $91.47 | $190,270 |
 | West Virginia | 0.092 | $45.20 | $94,010 |
 | Wisconsin | 0.084 | $95.47 | $198,580 |
 | Wyoming | 0.299 | $74.58 | $155,130 |
Top paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse – NY | – | – | – |
| Salt Lake City – UT | – | $122.81 | $255,450 |
| Jacksonville – FL | – | $121.81 | $253,360 |
| Jonesboro – AR | – | $121.53 | $252,770 |
| Cape Coral / Fort Myers – FL | – | $120.16 | $249,930 |
Top paying non-metropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Montana – nonmetropolitan area | 0.49 | $111.98 | $232,910 |
| Western Central – North Carolina – nonmetropolitan area | – | $103.08 | $214,410 |
| Northeast Alabama – nonmetropolitan area | 0.33 | $101.27 | $210,650 |
| East Georgia – nonmetropolitan area | 0.50 | $93.27 | $194,000 |
| North Carolina – nonmetropolitan area | 0.30 | $91.44 | $190,190 |
