29 Series · SOC 29-1223

Psychiatrists Salary

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

$281,870
Median / year
$446,520
Top 10% earn
+6.1%
Growth '23–'33
27,980
US workers

Psychiatrists earn a median of $281,870 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $281,870, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $84,060 (10th percentile) to $446,520 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 27,980 US workers. California pays the most ($353,500), since pay varies by state and metro area.

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

Psychiatrists earn a median of $281,870, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 98% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #15 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% by 2033.

$281,870
Median annual wage
Top 2%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#15 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
5.3×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $353,500. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.

Psychiatrists (SOC 29-1223) pays a national median of $281,870 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $84,060 at the 10th percentile to $446,520 at the 90th, with a mean of $269,940 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 27,980 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 105 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 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. California pays the highest state median at $353,500, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is Springfield, IL at $413,890 - 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 27,980 jobs Median $281,870/yr

Median Salary

$281,870

per year

Median Hourly

$135.51/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$269,940

average

Employment

27,980

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Psychiatrists pay sits nationally

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

$281,870 Top 2% higher than 98% 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 Psychiatrists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Psychiatrists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.1% growth and $281,870 median pay.

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Psychiatrists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.1% growth and $281,870 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$100000$200000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Psychiatrists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.1% growth and $281,870 median pay.

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

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+6.1%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

900

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 Psychiatrists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.6
Social Perceptiveness 4.5
Speaking 4.3
Critical Thinking 4.3
Reading Comprehension 4.1
Writing 4.1
Judgment and Decision Making 4.1
Active Learning 4.0
Monitoring 4.0
Science 3.9

Knowledge Areas

Therapy and Counseling 4.9
Psychology 4.9
Medicine and Dentistry 4.8
English Language 4.3
Biology 3.8
Education and Training 3.7
Customer and Personal Service 3.7
Sociology and Anthropology 3.5
Administration and Management 3.2
Philosophy and Theology 3.0

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Prescribe, direct, or administer psychotherapeutic treatments or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
  • ▸ Gather and maintain patient information and records, including social or medical history obtained from patients, relatives, or other professionals.
  • ▸ Design individualized care plans, using a variety of treatments.
  • ▸ Collaborate with physicians, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, or other professionals to discuss treatment plans and progress.
  • ▸ Analyze and evaluate patient data or test findings to diagnose nature or extent of mental disorder.
  • ▸ Examine or conduct laboratory or diagnostic tests on patients to provide information on general physical condition or mental disorder.
  • ▸ Counsel outpatients or other patients during office visits.
  • ▸ Advise or inform guardians, relatives, or significant others of patients' conditions or treatment.
  • ▸ Teach, take continuing education classes, attend conferences or seminars, or conduct research and publish findings to increase understanding of mental, emotional, or behavioral states or disorders.
  • ▸ Review and evaluate treatment procedures and outcomes of other psychiatrists or medical professionals.

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

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$84,060$154,150$281,870$362,740$446,520
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$40.41$74.11$135.51$174.39$214.67
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$84,060

25th Percentile

$154,150

Median

$281,870

75th Percentile

$362,740

90th Percentile

$446,520

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. California $353,500 2. Louisiana $345,040 3. Alaska $342,170 4. Minnesota $336,410 5. Wisconsin $331,070

Lowest Paying States

42. West Virginia $63,320 43. Idaho $75,470 44. Arkansas $124,750 45. Nebraska $135,180 46. North Carolina $168,880
View all 46 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $353,500 +25% above national
2 Louisiana $345,040 +22% above national
3 Alaska $342,170 +21% above national
4 Minnesota $336,410 +19% above national
5 Wisconsin $331,070 +17% above national
6 Connecticut $326,670 +16% above national
7 Florida $316,200 +12% above national
8 Oregon $314,880 +12% above national
9 Missouri $312,680 +11% above national
10 Maryland $305,320 +8% above national
11 Washington $304,920 +8% above national
12 Vermont $302,770 +7% above national
13 Maine $300,180 +6% above national
14 Utah $299,670 +6% above national
15 Iowa $295,270 +5% above national
16 Virginia $295,010 +5% above national
17 Michigan $291,850 +4% above national
18 Hawaii $289,990 +3% above national
19 Rhode Island $287,610 +2% above national
20 Indiana $284,110 +1% above national
21 Delaware $279,410 1% below national
22 Pennsylvania $278,970 1% below national
23 Kansas $278,100 1% below national
24 Oklahoma $271,640 4% below national
25 Colorado $266,370 5% below national
26 New York $265,890 6% below national
27 Illinois $258,740 8% below national
28 Arizona $249,720 11% below national
29 New Hampshire $246,140 13% below national
30 Ohio $244,990 13% below national
31 Kentucky $237,770 16% below national
32 Georgia $237,480 16% below national
33 South Carolina $237,250 16% below national
34 Texas $228,460 19% below national
35 New Mexico $227,730 19% below national
36 South Dakota $226,180 20% below national
37 Tennessee $214,880 24% below national
38 Mississippi $213,680 24% below national
39 Nevada $210,030 25% below national
40 New Jersey $194,070 31% below national
41 District of Columbia $183,080 35% below national
42 North Carolina $168,880 40% below national
43 Nebraska $135,180 52% below national
44 Arkansas $124,750 56% below national
45 Idaho $75,470 73% below national
46 West Virginia $63,320 78% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Springfield, IL $413,890 2. Burlington-South Burlington, VT $409,950 3. Gainesville, FL $404,240 4. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $403,430 5. Ocala, FL $396,200

Lowest Paying Metros

101. Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $65,270 102. Tyler, TX $66,550 103. Ann Arbor, MI $92,840 104. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $100,880 105. Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $103,200
View all 105 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Springfield, IL $413,890 +47% above national
2 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $409,950 +45% above national
3 Gainesville, FL $404,240 +43% above national
4 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $403,430 +43% above national
5 Ocala, FL $396,200 +41% above national
6 New Haven, CT $381,890 +35% above national
7 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $370,510 +31% above national
8 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $364,530 +29% above national
9 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $358,020 +27% above national
10 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $353,500 +25% above national
11 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $350,430 +24% above national
12 Anchorage, AK $342,170 +21% above national
13 Rochester, MN $341,540 +21% above national
14 Green Bay, WI $339,680 +21% above national
15 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $339,340 +20% above national
16 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $337,970 +20% above national
17 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $336,410 +19% above national
18 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $335,620 +19% above national
19 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $333,300 +18% above national
20 Stockton-Lodi, CA $331,800 +18% above national
21 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $331,500 +18% above national
22 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $329,530 +17% above national
23 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $328,600 +17% above national
24 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $322,750 +15% above national
25 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $320,250 +14% above national
26 Jacksonville, FL $319,610 +13% above national
27 Tallahassee, FL $318,460 +13% above national
28 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $318,110 +13% above national
29 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $315,960 +12% above national
30 Fresno, CA $315,470 +12% above national
31 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $314,450 +12% above national
32 Springfield, MA $311,290 +10% above national
33 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $308,350 +9% above national
34 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $307,710 +9% above national
35 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $307,290 +9% above national
36 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $301,790 +7% above national
37 Portland-South Portland, ME $300,180 +6% above national
38 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $299,990 +6% above national
39 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $299,670 +6% above national
40 St. Louis, MO-IL $298,160 +6% above national
41 Madison, WI $296,230 +5% above national
42 Roanoke, VA $295,010 +5% above national
43 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $294,890 +5% above national
44 Richmond, VA $290,900 +3% above national
45 Urban Honolulu, HI $289,990 +3% above national
46 Akron, OH $289,420 +3% above national
47 Colorado Springs, CO $289,320 +3% above national
48 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $287,610 +2% above national
49 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $286,770 +2% above national
50 Oklahoma City, OK $285,900 +1% above national
51 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $282,600 same as national
52 Jefferson City, MO $282,050 same as national
53 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $280,370 1% below national
54 Ithaca, NY $280,210 1% below national
55 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $279,410 1% below national
56 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $277,010 2% below national
57 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $276,960 2% below national
58 Binghamton, NY $273,380 3% below national
59 Cleveland, OH $271,790 4% below national
60 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $263,030 7% below national
61 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $261,710 7% below national
62 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $260,330 8% below national
63 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $260,000 8% below national
64 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $258,750 8% below national
65 Tucson, AZ $257,650 9% below national
66 Utica-Rome, NY $256,870 9% below national
67 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $254,660 10% below national
68 Columbia, SC $251,060 11% below national
69 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $249,130 12% below national
70 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $249,070 12% below national
71 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $247,450 12% below national
72 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $246,990 12% below national
73 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $244,960 13% below national
74 Worcester, MA $244,190 13% below national
75 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $240,930 15% below national
76 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $237,770 16% below national
77 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $236,340 16% below national
78 Albuquerque, NM $236,320 16% below national
79 Pittsburgh, PA $235,240 17% below national
80 Rochester, NY $233,620 17% below national
81 Toledo, OH $233,210 17% below national
82 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $230,560 18% below national
83 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $230,560 18% below national
84 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $228,570 19% below national
85 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $225,440 20% below national
86 Columbus, OH $220,940 22% below national
87 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $188,090 33% below national
88 Salinas, CA $178,630 37% below national
89 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $170,600 39% below national
90 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $169,850 40% below national
91 Raleigh-Cary, NC $168,880 40% below national
92 Asheville, NC $164,520 42% below national
93 Iowa City, IA $161,550 43% below national
94 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $155,400 45% below national
95 Fayetteville, NC $155,250 45% below national
96 Modesto, CA $151,270 46% below national
97 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $144,020 49% below national
98 Lexington-Fayette, KY $132,450 53% below national
99 Omaha, NE-IA $132,200 53% below national
100 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $124,750 56% below national
101 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $103,200 63% below national
102 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $100,880 64% below national
103 Ann Arbor, MI $92,840 67% below national
104 Tyler, TX $66,550 76% below national
105 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $65,270 77% below national

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Compare Psychiatrists side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Psychiatrists make? ▼
The median annual salary for Psychiatrists is $281,870 ($135.51/hour). The salary range spans from $84,060 at the 10th percentile to $446,520 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Psychiatrists the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Psychiatrists at $353,500/year, which is +25% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Psychiatrists? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Psychiatrists is Doctoral or professional degree. On-the-job training: Internship/residency.
How dangerous is being a Psychiatrists? ▼
Psychiatrists 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 Psychiatrists a good career? ▼
Employment for Psychiatrists is projected to grow 6.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 900 openings are projected each year.
How does Psychiatrists pay vary by state? ▼
Psychiatrists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $353,500/year, while North Carolina pays the least at $168,880/year. BLS data covers 46 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Psychiatrists? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Psychiatrists is Springfield, IL at $413,890/year. BLS reports wage data for 105 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 Psychiatrists pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $362,740/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: California leads at $353,500/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.