29 Series · SOC 29-1214
Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $335,550
- Median / year
- $495,910
- Top 10% earn
- +2.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 32,880
- US workers
Emergency Medicine Physicians earn a median of $335,550 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $335,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $103,610 (10th percentile) to $495,910 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 32,880 US workers. Rhode Island pays the most ($512,730), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Emergency Medicine Physicians earn a median of $335,550, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 99% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #8 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% by 2033.
- $335,550
- Median annual wage
- Top 1%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #8 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 4.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Rhode Island at $512,730. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Emergency Medicine Physicians (SOC 29-1214) pays a national median of $335,550 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $103,610 at the 10th percentile to $495,910 at the 90th, with a mean of $317,480 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 32,880 Americans work in this occupation across 31 reporting states and 65 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree and internship/residency of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Rhode Island pays the highest state median at $512,730, which is +53% above the national figure. The top metro is Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH at $531,340 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$335,550
per year
Median Hourly
$161.32/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$317,480
average
Employment
32,880
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Emergency Medicine Physicians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$335,550 Top 1% higher than 99% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Emergency Medicine Physicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Emergency Medicine Physicians sits on the slower-growing side at +2.7% growth and $335,550 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.7%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
On-the-Job Training
Internship/residency
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Emergency Medicine Physicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Select, request, perform, or interpret diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, emergency ultrasounds, and radiographs.
- ▸ Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs and priority of treatment.
- ▸ Perform emergency resuscitations on patients.
- ▸ Stabilize patients in critical condition.
- ▸ Perform such medical procedures as emergent cricothyrotomy, endotracheal intubation, and emergency thoracotomy.
- ▸ Analyze records, examination information, or test results to diagnose medical conditions.
- ▸ Consult with hospitalists and other professionals, such as social workers, regarding patients' hospital admission, continued observation, transition of care, or discharge.
- ▸ Conduct primary patient assessments that include information from prior medical care.
- ▸ Communicate likely outcomes of medical diseases or traumatic conditions to patients or their representatives.
- ▸ Monitor patients' conditions, and reevaluate treatments, as necessary.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$103,610
25th Percentile
$184,830
Median
$335,550
75th Percentile
$418,890
90th Percentile
$495,910
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 31 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $512,730 | +53% above national |
| 2 | West Virginia | $491,230 | +46% above national |
| 3 | Missouri | $456,280 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Alaska | $452,620 | +35% above national |
| 5 | Maryland | $451,620 | +35% above national |
| 6 | Vermont | $430,820 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Iowa | $429,050 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Connecticut | $418,940 | +25% above national |
| 9 | Michigan | $417,760 | +25% above national |
| 10 | New Mexico | $405,130 | +21% above national |
| 11 | South Dakota | $393,870 | +17% above national |
| 12 | North Dakota | $392,890 | +17% above national |
| 13 | Minnesota | $390,940 | +17% above national |
| 14 | Washington | $380,870 | +14% above national |
| 15 | Ohio | $377,480 | +12% above national |
| 16 | Nebraska | $371,880 | +11% above national |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $356,230 | +6% above national |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $348,540 | +4% above national |
| 19 | Indiana | $347,060 | +3% above national |
| 20 | South Carolina | $341,960 | +2% above national |
| 21 | North Carolina | $339,350 | +1% above national |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $318,200 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $316,830 | 6% below national |
| 24 | New Jersey | $315,340 | 6% below national |
| 25 | New York | $301,690 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Mississippi | $252,960 | 25% below national |
| 27 | Idaho | $221,430 | 34% below national |
| 28 | Georgia | $219,010 | 35% below national |
| 29 | Florida | $204,990 | 39% below national |
| 30 | Kentucky | $169,390 | 50% below national |
| 31 | Utah | $140,370 | 58% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 65 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $531,340 | +58% above national |
| 2 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $486,350 | +45% above national |
| 3 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $478,600 | +43% above national |
| 4 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $476,890 | +42% above national |
| 5 | Anchorage, AK | $472,140 | +41% above national |
| 6 | Rochester, MN | $462,850 | +38% above national |
| 7 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $454,760 | +36% above national |
| 8 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $452,620 | +35% above national |
| 9 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $449,910 | +34% above national |
| 10 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $448,470 | +34% above national |
| 11 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $447,750 | +33% above national |
| 12 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $440,580 | +31% above national |
| 13 | Rochester, NY | $440,340 | +31% above national |
| 14 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $437,620 | +30% above national |
| 15 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $434,980 | +30% above national |
| 16 | Duluth, MN-WI | $434,190 | +29% above national |
| 17 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $426,310 | +27% above national |
| 18 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $420,440 | +25% above national |
| 19 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $418,940 | +25% above national |
| 20 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $408,030 | +22% above national |
| 21 | Albuquerque, NM | $405,130 | +21% above national |
| 22 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $396,460 | +18% above national |
| 23 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $390,670 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $388,370 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $380,870 | +14% above national |
| 26 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $380,800 | +13% above national |
| 27 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $367,120 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $356,230 | +6% above national |
| 29 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $348,980 | +4% above national |
| 30 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $344,170 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Madison, WI | $340,150 | +1% above national |
| 32 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $338,990 | +1% above national |
| 33 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $336,290 | same as national |
| 34 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $333,290 | 1% below national |
| 35 | Columbus, OH | $331,600 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $324,210 | 3% below national |
| 37 | Worcester, MA | $319,420 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Winston-Salem, NC | $319,170 | 5% below national |
| 39 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $316,830 | 6% below national |
| 40 | Boise City, ID | $316,000 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $313,350 | 7% below national |
| 42 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $313,070 | 7% below national |
| 43 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $306,610 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Omaha, NE-IA | $306,350 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Akron, OH | $305,960 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $303,190 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Jackson, MS | $297,790 | 11% below national |
| 48 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $296,000 | 12% below national |
| 49 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $289,440 | 14% below national |
| 50 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $284,930 | 15% below national |
| 51 | St. Cloud, MN | $276,550 | 18% below national |
| 52 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $276,550 | 18% below national |
| 53 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $263,810 | 21% below national |
| 54 | Utica-Rome, NY | $214,340 | 36% below national |
| 55 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $204,990 | 39% below national |
| 56 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $195,770 | 42% below national |
| 57 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $190,430 | 43% below national |
| 58 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $183,970 | 45% below national |
| 59 | Syracuse, NY | $181,980 | 46% below national |
| 60 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $174,990 | 48% below national |
| 61 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $169,390 | 50% below national |
| 62 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $148,180 | 56% below national |
| 63 | Ogden, UT | $137,250 | 59% below national |
| 64 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $76,160 | 77% below national |
| 65 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $73,330 | 78% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Emergency Medicine Physicians make? ▼
What state pays Emergency Medicine Physicians the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Emergency Medicine Physicians? ▼
How dangerous is being a Emergency Medicine Physicians? ▼
Is Emergency Medicine Physicians a good career? ▼
How does Emergency Medicine Physicians pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Emergency Medicine Physicians? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Emergency Medicine Physicians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $418,890/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Rhode Island leads at $512,730/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.