What Does a Pediatrician Do?
Pediatricians provide medical care for infants, children, and adolescents, managing everything from routine well-child visits to complex chronic conditions. They monitor developmental milestones, administer vaccinations, and diagnose childhood illnesses. Pediatricians serve as the primary healthcare provider for patients from birth through age 18.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Developmental Pediatrician, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Pediatric Physician, Physician.
Pediatrician Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a pediatrician include:
- Conduct well-child examinations to monitor growth, development, and overall health at each stage of childhood.
- Administer childhood vaccinations according to the recommended immunization schedule.
- Diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses such as ear infections, asthma, allergies, and strep throat.
- Screen for developmental delays, behavioral issues, and learning disabilities during routine visits.
- Prescribe medications and treatments appropriate for pediatric patients, adjusting dosages by weight and age.
- Counsel parents on nutrition, safety, sleep habits, and age-appropriate developmental expectations.
- Manage chronic pediatric conditions including diabetes, epilepsy, and congenital heart defects.
- Refer patients to pediatric specialists such as pediatric surgeons, neurologists, and endocrinologists.
- Provide adolescent health services including discussions about mental health, substance use, and reproductive health.
- Collaborate with schools, social services, and community organizations to support child welfare.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a pediatrician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Pediatric examination and diagnosis
- Child development assessment
- Immunization schedule management
- Age-appropriate communication
- Family counseling and education
- Chronic disease management in children
- Emergency pediatric care
- Developmental screening tools
Education and Training
Pediatricians must complete four years of undergraduate education, four years of medical school to earn an MD or DO degree, and a three-year pediatric residency program. Residency training includes rotations in general pediatrics, neonatal care, pediatric emergency medicine, and various pediatric subspecialties. Board certification through the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) requires passing a comprehensive examination. Many pediatricians pursue additional fellowship training in subspecialties such as pediatric cardiology, oncology, gastroenterology, or neonatology.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $138,290 - $273,700 per year, with a median of $210,040.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pediatricians, General.
The demand for pediatricians remains stable, with modest growth projected over the next decade. While the overall birth rate in the United States has declined, the need for pediatric preventive care, chronic disease management, and mental health services for children continues to grow. Pediatricians who practice in underserved urban and rural areas will find strong demand. The growing recognition of childhood mental health needs is creating additional opportunities.
Pediatrician Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $91,470 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $138,290 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $210,040 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $273,700 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $338,500 |
Highest-Paying States for Pediatricians
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Louisiana ($502,720), Idaho ($297,680), New Hampshire ($273,410), Montana ($273,260), Wisconsin ($269,790). Pay is lowest in West Virginia ($158,470), Georgia ($149,990), District of Columbia ($79,240).
Median pay in all 49 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $209,490 |
| Alaska | $267,390 |
| Arizona | $233,950 |
| Arkansas | $160,440 |
| California | $214,140 |
| Colorado | $196,440 |
| Connecticut | $216,830 |
| Delaware | $219,190 |
| District of Columbia | $79,240 |
| Florida | $182,010 |
| Georgia | $149,990 |
| Hawaii | $197,090 |
| Idaho | $297,680 |
| Illinois | $196,760 |
| Indiana | $177,300 |
| Iowa | $262,440 |
| Kansas | $209,840 |
| Kentucky | $175,690 |
| Louisiana | $502,720 |
| Maine | $245,920 |
| Maryland | $181,640 |
| Massachusetts | $221,170 |
| Michigan | $204,690 |
| Minnesota | $226,660 |
| Mississippi | $183,650 |
| Missouri | $223,910 |
| Montana | $273,260 |
| Nebraska | $175,990 |
| New Hampshire | $273,410 |
| New Jersey | $201,560 |
| New Mexico | $202,390 |
| New York | $212,150 |
| North Carolina | $183,550 |
| North Dakota | $234,950 |
| Ohio | $217,970 |
| Oklahoma | $236,780 |
| Oregon | $224,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $226,440 |
| Rhode Island | $218,080 |
| South Carolina | $217,120 |
| South Dakota | $257,610 |
| Tennessee | $176,210 |
| Texas | $173,360 |
| Utah | $210,360 |
| Vermont | $215,350 |
| Virginia | $195,940 |
| Washington | $169,540 |
| West Virginia | $158,470 |
| Wisconsin | $269,790 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as pediatricians, general about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 99% are exposed to disease or infection every day
- 99% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 91% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 85% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
- 83% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 66% are on the phone every day
- 62% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Post-doctoral training | 78% |
| Doctoral degree | 20% |
Tools and Software Pediatricians Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as analyzing problems and working with ideas.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Medicine and Dentistry, Therapy and Counseling, Biology, Psychology, Customer and Personal Service.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 5 of 5, which means extensive preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 29-1221.00 (Pediatricians, General). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.