29 Series · SOC 29-1222

Physicians, Pathologists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$312,400
Median / year
$449,970
Top 10% earn
+4.2%
Growth '23–'33
11,110
US workers

Physicians, Pathologists earn a median of $312,400 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $312,400, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $92,540 (10th percentile) to $449,970 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 11,110 US workers. Pennsylvania pays the most ($413,370), since pay varies by state and metro area.

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Physicians, Pathologists earn a median of $312,400, 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 #10 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.2% by 2033.

$312,400
Median annual wage
Top 1%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#10 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
4.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Pennsylvania at $413,370. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.

Physicians, Pathologists (SOC 29-1222) pays a national median of $312,400 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $92,540 at the 10th percentile to $449,970 at the 90th, with a mean of $285,420 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 11,110 Americans work in this occupation across 33 reporting states and 36 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 400 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. Pennsylvania pays the highest state median at $413,370, which is +32% above the national figure. The top metro is Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV at $384,550 - 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.

BLS OEWS May 2025 11,110 jobs Median $312,400/yr

Median Salary

$312,400

per year

Median Hourly

$150.19/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$285,420

average

Employment

11,110

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Physicians, Pathologists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$312,400 Top 1% higher than 99% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). This entry sits in this band. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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 Physicians, Pathologists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Physicians, Pathologists sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $312,400 median pay.

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Physicians, Pathologists sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $312,400 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$100000$200000$300000$400000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Physicians, Pathologists sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $312,400 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.2%

About average

Annual Openings

400

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 →
A

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 Physicians, Pathologists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.3
Writing 4.1
Critical Thinking 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Science 4.0
Active Learning 4.0
Complex Problem Solving 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Monitoring 3.5

Knowledge Areas

Medicine and Dentistry 4.8
Biology 4.5
English Language 4.3
Education and Training 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.4
Chemistry 3.2
Administration and Management 3.1
Computers and Electronics 3.1
Administrative 2.8
Personnel and Human Resources 2.7

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
  • ▸ Diagnose diseases or study medical conditions, using techniques such as gross pathology, histology, cytology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, immunology, flow cytometry, or molecular biology.
  • ▸ Write pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.
  • ▸ Communicate pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians.
  • ▸ Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases.
  • ▸ Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in pathology.
  • ▸ Consult with physicians about ordering and interpreting tests or providing treatments.
  • ▸ Analyze and interpret results from tests, such as microbial or parasite tests, urine analyses, hormonal assays, fine needle aspirations (FNAs), and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).
  • ▸ Review cases by analyzing autopsies, laboratory findings, or case investigation reports.
  • ▸ Manage medical laboratories.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$92,540$186,300$312,400$372,780$449,970
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$44.49$89.57$150.19$179.22$216.33
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$92,540

25th Percentile

$186,300

Median

$312,400

75th Percentile

$372,780

90th Percentile

$449,970

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Pennsylvania $413,370 2. West Virginia $400,070 3. Nevada $384,350 4. Illinois $381,770 5. Minnesota $362,270

Lowest Paying States

29. Wisconsin $83,610 30. California $186,300 31. Vermont $188,250 32. Georgia $211,800 33. Arkansas $214,100
View all 33 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Pennsylvania $413,370 +32% above national
2 West Virginia $400,070 +28% above national
3 Nevada $384,350 +23% above national
4 Illinois $381,770 +22% above national
5 Minnesota $362,270 +16% above national
6 New Jersey $355,970 +14% above national
7 Texas $345,830 +11% above national
8 Indiana $340,300 +9% above national
9 Arizona $338,290 +8% above national
10 Kentucky $324,390 +4% above national
11 Iowa $323,460 +4% above national
12 Rhode Island $322,950 +3% above national
13 New York $321,550 +3% above national
14 Oklahoma $317,850 +2% above national
15 Florida $313,510 same as national
16 Ohio $309,480 1% below national
17 Michigan $303,070 3% below national
18 Washington $300,680 4% below national
19 Colorado $294,510 6% below national
20 Massachusetts $285,240 9% below national
21 Missouri $261,830 16% below national
22 Mississippi $261,570 16% below national
23 Maryland $253,670 19% below national
24 North Carolina $248,940 20% below national
25 Virginia $240,780 23% below national
26 South Carolina $236,950 24% below national
27 Nebraska $229,140 27% below national
28 Kansas $224,280 28% below national
29 Arkansas $214,100 31% below national
30 Georgia $211,800 32% below national
31 Vermont $188,250 40% below national
32 California $186,300 40% below national
33 Wisconsin $83,610 73% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $384,550 2. Corpus Christi, TX $373,420 3. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $365,830 4. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $362,620 5. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $362,470

Lowest Paying Metros

32. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $70,480 33. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $140,230 34. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $143,120 35. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $186,300 36. St. Louis, MO-IL $207,450
View all 36 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $384,550 +23% above national
2 Corpus Christi, TX $373,420 +20% above national
3 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $365,830 +17% above national
4 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $362,620 +16% above national
5 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $362,470 +16% above national
6 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $349,470 +12% above national
7 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $342,090 +10% above national
8 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $336,660 +8% above national
9 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $333,330 +7% above national
10 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $332,570 +6% above national
11 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $329,970 +6% above national
12 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $327,770 +5% above national
13 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $319,880 +2% above national
14 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $319,340 +2% above national
15 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $317,890 +2% above national
16 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $316,150 +1% above national
17 Oklahoma City, OK $315,520 +1% above national
18 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $305,600 2% below national
19 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $300,580 4% below national
20 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $291,510 7% below national
21 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $288,900 8% below national
22 Columbus, OH $285,280 9% below national
23 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $285,240 9% below national
24 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $283,430 9% below national
25 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $272,300 13% below national
26 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $270,000 14% below national
27 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $248,420 20% below national
28 Richmond, VA $240,220 23% below national
29 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $237,190 24% below national
30 Kansas City, MO-KS $224,280 28% below national
31 Omaha, NE-IA $214,920 31% below national
32 St. Louis, MO-IL $207,450 34% below national
33 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $186,300 40% below national
34 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $143,120 54% below national
35 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $140,230 55% below national
36 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $70,480 77% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.

Acupuncturists

SOC 29-1291

Anesthesiologists

SOC 29-1211

Athletic Trainers

SOC 29-9091

Audiologists

SOC 29-1181

Cardiologists

SOC 29-1212
Compare Physicians, Pathologists side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Physicians, Pathologists make? ▼
The median annual salary for Physicians, Pathologists is $312,400 ($150.19/hour). The salary range spans from $92,540 at the 10th percentile to $449,970 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Physicians, Pathologists the most? ▼
Pennsylvania pays the highest median salary for Physicians, Pathologists at $413,370/year, which is +32% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Physicians, Pathologists? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Physicians, Pathologists is Doctoral or professional degree. On-the-job training: Internship/residency.
How dangerous is being a Physicians, Pathologists? ▼
Physicians, Pathologists has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1.5 per 100 workers.
Is Physicians, Pathologists a good career? ▼
Employment for Physicians, Pathologists is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 400 openings are projected each year.
How does Physicians, Pathologists pay vary by state? ▼
Physicians, Pathologists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Pennsylvania at $413,370/year, while Arkansas pays the least at $214,100/year. BLS data covers 33 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Physicians, Pathologists? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Physicians, Pathologists is Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV at $384,550/year. BLS reports wage data for 36 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Physicians, Pathologists pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $372,780/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: Pennsylvania leads at $413,370/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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

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.