Is Neonatology a Good Career in 2026?
Based on 31 verified physician submissions
SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Based on 31 verified physician submissions
Score Breakdown
Neonatology Compensation & Earnings
Neonatology Compensation
$395,000
$360,000 – $415,000(P25–P75)
Neonatology Salary Progression
From medical school to senior attending — based on 31 verified submissions
7 submissions
20 submissions
4 submissions
+22% salary growth from early career ($325,000) to mid-career ($397,500)
Estimate Your Take-Home
Based on median Neonatology salary of $395K/yr
Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay
Take-Home Pay by State
How much a Neonatology physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes
Highest Take-Home States
Lowest Take-Home States
Tax impact: A Neonatology physician keeps $36,340 more per year in Alaska vs. California — a 9.2% difference on gross income of $395,000.
Assumes single filer, standard deduction, W-2 employment. State rates from Tax Foundation 2025. Gross salaries from BLS OEWS May 2024. FICA includes Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600) and Medicare (1.45% + 0.9% above $200K). Actual take-home varies with deductions, filing status, and local taxes.
How does your compensation compare?
Benchmark yourself against 31 verified neonatology salaries — add yours in 2 minutes and see your percentile instantly.
Career Lifestyle
Career Reality: By the Numbers
Real data from 31 verified Neonatology physicians — not job board estimates.
What Physicians Actually Say
Thematic analysis of career insights from Neonatology physicians. Based on 2 anonymized responses.
About the Career (1 responses)
Compensation
100%1 physician mentioned this
“Pay. Pediatricians and Pediatric subspecialties should be better compensated overall”— Private Practice, 5 yrs
About the Lifestyle (1 responses)
Exercise & Hobbies
100%1 physician mentioned this
“Very happy with my work-life balance. Basically 2 calls/week. I can easily schedule them in a way where I can take mini vacations without necessarily using my PTO. Once you’re on call, you’re in 100%, but once you’re off you’re completely off.”— Private Practice, 5 yrs
Call Impact
100%1 physician mentioned this
“Very happy with my work-life balance. Basically 2 calls/week. I can easily schedule them in a way where I can take mini vacations without necessarily using my PTO. Once you’re on call, you’re in 100%, but once you’re off you’re completely off.”— Private Practice, 5 yrs
Job Market & Future Outlook
Training & Getting Started
4 years of post-medical-school training
Explore Neonatology
Take the Next Step in Your Neonatology Career
Real compensation data from verified physicians. Know your market value before your next contract negotiation.
Powered by SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Career Score methodology: salarydr.com/methodology
According to SalaryDr Career Intelligence data from 31 verified Neonatology Physicians (as of August 2026), the Physician Career Score for Neonatology is 63/100. Median total compensation is $395,000, career satisfaction is 4.1/5, and 87% would choose the specialty again.