Pediatrician Salary 2026: Average Pay, State Rates & Career Path
Parents trust pediatricians with the health of their children, from a newborn’s first checkup to a teenager’s sports physical. That trust comes with years of medical training, and the pay reflects it. Most general pediatricians in the United States earn between $223,000 and $266,000 a year in 2026, according to national physician surveys, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the national mean at $222,987. This guide breaks down the pediatrician salary picture across the United States for 2026, covering annual and hourly pay, state differences, practice settings, subspecialties, training, and job outlook, so you can see exactly where the money is and what it takes to earn it.
Pay at a Glance
Different surveys report slightly different numbers because they measure different things. The BLS counts wages reported by employers, while physician surveys like Medscape and Doximity count total compensation, which includes bonuses and profit sharing. That is why the BLS mean of $222,987 sits below the Medscape average of $266,000 and the Doximity median of $265,000. The typical pediatrician salary range is wide for the same reason, stretching from under $200,000 for early career doctors in academic centers to more than $330,000 for experienced physicians in high demand markets.
| Measure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National mean annual pay | $222,987 | BLS |
| National mean hourly wage | $107.21 | BLS |
| Average total compensation | $266,000 | Medscape |
| Median total compensation | $265,000 | Doximity |
| Typical range, general pediatrics | $223,000 to $266,000 | Physician surveys |
| Average starting pay | $244,000 | Merritt Hawkins |
One useful piece of context: Merritt Hawkins reports pediatrics as the lowest paid starting specialty among the specialties it surveys. That sounds discouraging until you compare it with the wider workforce. A starting figure of $244,000 still places pediatricians far above the average American worker, and the career offers unusual stability, since demand for child health care rarely falls.
Annual and Hourly Pay
Annual pay is the headline number, but hourly pay tells you how hard you work for it. The BLS mean hourly wage for general pediatricians is $107.21. A pediatrician working a standard full time schedule of about 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, would land close to the BLS mean annual figure on that hourly rate. In practice, many pediatricians work longer weeks, take call, and cover weekends, which pushes total compensation above a simple hourly calculation.
Locum tenens work, where a doctor fills short term gaps at different facilities, pays $93 to $130 per hour depending on location and assignment type. That band overlaps the BLS mean hourly wage, so locum work is not automatically a pay raise. Its real value is flexibility: choosing your schedule, your location, and extra shifts on top of a regular job. Some doctors combine a steady employed position with occasional locum shifts to lift their total annual income.
Monthly pay helps with household budgeting. On the BLS mean of $222,987, gross monthly pay works out to roughly $18,580 before taxes. On the Medscape average of $266,000, it is about $22,170 a month. Take home pay will be lower after federal and state taxes, retirement contributions, and health insurance, and the state you live in changes that math a lot, as the state section below shows.
Pay by Experience Level
Experience raises pediatric pay, but the curve is flatter than in procedure heavy specialties. A general pediatrician earns most of the gains early, then pay grows steadily rather than dramatically.
| Experience | Typical annual pay |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | About $220,000 |
| 3 to 5 years | About $235,000 |
| 6 to 10 years | About $255,000 |
| 11 or more years | About $268,500 |
These figures are estimates drawn from physician salary surveys, and individual offers vary with setting and location. New graduates should note the Merritt Hawkins starting figure of $244,000, which sits above the early career survey average, because it reflects offers made in a competitive hiring market rather than pay already being earned. Residents, by contrast, earn a training stipend, usually in the $65,000 to $80,000 range, during their three years of residency, which is a reminder that the high attending salary arrives only after a long training road.
Pay by State
Location moves the pediatrician salary number more than almost any other factor, and the pattern surprises many people. The highest paying states are often not the big coastal cities. They are states where pediatricians are scarce, where rural communities compete hard for doctors, and where employers must pay a premium to recruit.
BLS state data lists Louisiana at $354,060, Alaska at $284,210, and California at $283,620 as the top paying states for general pediatricians by mean wage. Other surveys tell a similar story with different numbers: one state ranking puts Wisconsin, Iowa, and Oklahoma near the top, and rural pediatricians report average pay of about $288,000 compared with roughly $243,500 in the largest metro areas. The exact order shifts from survey to survey, but the lesson is consistent: smaller markets and underserved areas pay more.
| State | Mean annual pay (BLS) |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $354,060 |
| Alaska | $284,210 |
| California | $283,620 |
Taxes change the comparison further. Texas has no state income tax, so a Texas offer can beat a higher California offer once take home pay is counted. California taxes a single filer’s income between $72,724 and $371,479 at 9.3 percent, which means a pediatrician paid $325,000 there owes roughly $26,000 in state income tax alone. Always compare offers after tax and after cost of living, not on the headline salary.
Pay by Practice Setting
Practice setting shapes the pediatrician salary almost as much as location, because each setting has a different business model. Private practice owners can earn more than employed doctors, but they also carry business risk, overhead, and the work of running a clinic. Hospital employed pediatricians trade some upside for a steady paycheck, benefits, and freedom from billing and staffing headaches. Academic medical centers usually pay the least in base salary, but they offer research time, teaching, loan repayment options, and a slower pace that many doctors value.
| Practice setting | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Private practice | Higher upside, business risk and overhead |
| Hospital employed | Steady pay, strong benefits, less admin work |
| Academic center | Lower base pay, research and teaching time |
| Rural or underserved clinic | Pay premium, loan repayment eligibility |
Rural and community health settings deserve a special mention. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects that supply will meet only about 86 percent of demand for primary care pediatrics, and the gap is worst in rural areas. That shortage drives higher pay, and many rural facilities qualify for National Health Service Corps loan repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which can make the total financial package far better than the salary figure alone suggests.
Subspecialty Pay Differences
General pediatrics is the lowest paid corner of the field. Subspecializing adds three years of fellowship training, but it can add tens of thousands of dollars a year, and in some cases more than $100,000.
| Subspecialty | Average total compensation |
|---|---|
| Pediatric cardiology | $396,000 |
| Neonatology | $385,500 |
| Pediatric critical care | $349,000 |
| Pediatric gastroenterology | $347,000 |
| Pediatric neurology | $288,000 |
| Pediatric pulmonology | $284,500 |
| General pediatrics | $264,600 |
These averages come from a 2026 physician salary survey and reflect total compensation, so they run higher than the BLS wage mean. Cardiology and neonatology lead the field because they involve intensive hospital procedures and around the clock coverage. A doctor choosing a subspecialty should weigh the extra training years and the intensity of the work, not just the pay gap, since three fellowship years at a trainee stipend is a real financial cost.
Education and Training Path
Becoming a pediatrician is a long road, and understanding it explains both the pay and the student debt that comes with it. The path usually runs like this: four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, then a three year pediatrics residency. Doctors who want a subspecialty add a three year fellowship after residency. From the first day of college to independent practice, the journey takes about 11 years, or 14 with a fellowship.
Medical school admission requires the MCAT, strong science grades, and clinical experience. Residency matching in pediatrics is relatively accessible compared with surgical specialties, with a very high match rate for US medical graduates. During residency, pay is a trainee stipend, not an attending salary, so many new pediatricians start their attending careers carrying significant student loan debt. That debt is one reason loan repayment programs in rural and underserved settings are so attractive: they can erase a large chunk of it within a few years of service.
Job Outlook for 2026 and Beyond
The BLS counts about 46,400 practicing pediatricians in the United States and projects employment growth of just 0.8 percent from 2024 to 2034, which it describes as little or no change. That flat headline hides a more interesting story. Retirements, population growth in some regions, and the existing shortage in rural and community settings mean openings still appear every year, especially outside major cities. The HRSA adequacy figure of 86 percent points the same way: demand outruns supply, and that keeps pay supported even when overall headcount barely grows.
For students and career changers, the outlook is best read as stable rather than booming. Pediatrics will not see the rapid job growth of some tech or allied health fields, but it also rarely sees layoffs, and a pediatrician can practice anywhere in the country. Geographic flexibility is a genuine career asset: a license and a patient base can be rebuilt in a new state far more easily than in many other professions.
For a sense of the wider health care pay ladder, support roles sit far below physician pay. Our guide to phlebotomist salary in the US shows how much lower allied health earnings run, which puts the pediatrician’s six figure income in perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pediatrician earn on average in the US in 2026?
Most general pediatricians earn between $223,000 and $266,000 a year. The BLS national mean is $222,987, while Medscape reports an average of $266,000 and Doximity reports a median of $265,000. The differences come from what each survey counts: wages alone versus total compensation including bonuses.
What is the hourly pay for a pediatrician?
The BLS mean hourly wage is $107.21. Locum tenens assignments pay $93 to $130 per hour. Actual hourly earnings depend on hours worked, call duties, and whether the doctor is employed or in private practice.
Which state pays pediatricians the most?
By BLS mean wage, Louisiana leads at $354,060, followed by Alaska at $284,210 and California at $283,620. Other surveys rank Wisconsin, Iowa, and Oklahoma near the top. Rural and underserved markets consistently pay above large coastal metros, so the best paying job may be in a smaller town rather than a big city.
Do pediatricians earn less than other doctors?
Yes, on average. Pediatrics is among the lowest paid physician specialties, and Merritt Hawkins lists it as the lowest average starting salary among the specialties it surveys, at $244,000. Procedure heavy specialties such as orthopedic surgery and cardiology earn roughly double. Pediatric subspecialties narrow the gap considerably.
How long does it take to become a pediatrician?
About 11 years after high school: four years of college, four years of medical school, and three years of residency. A subspecialty fellowship adds three more years, bringing the total to about 14 years.
Is pediatrics a good career choice in 2026?
For people who enjoy working with children and want a stable, respected medical career, yes. Pay is strong in absolute terms, demand exceeds supply in many areas, and the work offers long term patient relationships that many doctors find deeply satisfying. The trade offs are long training, significant student debt, and lower pay than most other specialties.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line on the pediatrician salary in 2026 is straightforward: expect roughly $223,000 to $266,000 as a general pediatrician, more in high demand states and subspecialties, and less in academic centers and large coastal metros. Compare offers on take home pay, not headline salary, and weigh loan repayment, benefits, schedule, and call burden alongside the base figure. For doctors who love working with children, pediatrics pairs a strong six figure income with a career that is stable, portable, and genuinely meaningful.
