Is Pain Management a Good Career in 2026?

Evaluating and treating acute and chronic pain through multimodal approaches.

Based on 26 verified physician submissions

SalaryDr Career Intelligence

Based on 26 verified physician submissions

0
/ 100
Very Good

Score Breakdown

Salary
0
Satisfaction
0
Demand
0
Would Choose Again
0
Work-Life Balance
0
Training ROI
0
AI Resilience
0
$630,000
Median Salary
4.3/5
Satisfaction
92%
Would Choose Again

Pain Management Compensation & Earnings

Pain Management Compensation

$630,000

$465,000 – $800,000(P25–P75)

SalaryDr Median · 26 verified reports
See Full Pain Management Salary Data →

Pain Management Salary Progression

From medical school to senior attending — based on 26 verified submissions

Training
8 years
Med School Debt
$200,000
Attending Salary
$615,000
Break-Even
~1 years
1
Medical School
4 years
-$200,000
2
Residency
3-5 years
Limited data

2 submissions

3
Early Career
0-5 years experience
$435,000/yr

6 submissions

4
Mid-Career
6-15 years experience
$780,000/yr

19 submissions

5
Senior Attending
16+ years experience
Limited data

1 submissions

+79% salary growth from early career ($435,000) to mid-career ($780,000)

Estimate Your Take-Home

Based on median Pain Management salary of $630K/yr

Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay

Full Take-Home Calculator

Take-Home Pay by State

How much a Pain Management physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes

Highest Take-Home States

1
Alaska
Gross: $630,000 · 33.2% tax
$420,658
+$57,960/yr
2
Florida
Gross: $630,000 · 33.2% tax
$420,658
+$57,960/yr
3
Nevada
Gross: $630,000 · 33.2% tax
$420,658
+$57,960/yr
4
New Hampshire
Gross: $630,000 · 33.2% tax
$420,658
+$57,960/yr
5
South Dakota
Gross: $630,000 · 33.2% tax
$420,658
+$57,960/yr

Lowest Take-Home States

47
California
Gross: $630,000 · 42.4% tax
$362,698
−$57,960/yr
48
Oregon
Gross: $630,000 · 42.2% tax
$363,958
−$56,700/yr
49
District of Columbia
Gross: $630,000 · 42.1% tax
$364,588
−$56,070/yr
50
Hawaii
Gross: $630,000 · 42.0% tax
$365,218
−$55,440/yr
51
Minnesota
Gross: $630,000 · 41.4% tax
$368,998
−$51,660/yr

Tax impact: A Pain Management physician keeps $57,960 more per year in Alaska vs. California — a 9.2% difference on gross income of $630,000.

Calculate your exact take-home pay →Need physician-specific tax planning? Talk to Doc Wealth

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.

Median: $630,000/yr
Pain Management Physician Salary (2026)

How does your compensation compare?

Benchmark yourself against 26 verified pain management salaries — add yours in 2 minutes and see your percentile instantly.

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Career Lifestyle

Career Reality: By the Numbers

Real data from 26 verified Pain Management physicians — not job board estimates.

⏱️-7% vs avg
46hrs
Avg Hours/Week
📟+40% vs avg
84%
Take Call
🌙
~5 days
all-physician avg
Avg Call Days/Mo
🏖️
~28 days
all-physician avg
Avg PTO Days/Year
🤝
100%
Partnership Track
🌛
0%
Moonlighting
92% would choose pain management again
Physician Satisfaction (2026)
Is Pain Management Worth It? →
Detailed ROI analysis, satisfaction deep-dive, and physician perspectives

Job Market & Future Outlook

Training & Getting Started

4 years of post-medical-school training, with subspecialty fellowship options

Subspecialty Fellowships

Interventional PainNeuromodulationPalliative PainRegenerative Medicine

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Compare all specialty career scores →

Explore Pain Management

Full Salary Data
Percentiles, trends, comparisons
Is It Worth It?
ROI analysis and satisfaction deep-dive
Practice Settings
Academic vs private vs employed
Salary Trends
Historical compensation changes
Best Cities
Top cities by salary and lifestyle
Salary Explorer
Compare all specialties side by side

Take the Next Step in Your Pain Management Career

Real compensation data from verified physicians. Know your market value before your next contract negotiation.

See Real Pain Management SalariesCheck Your Market ValueSubmit Your Salary

Powered by SalaryDr Career Intelligence

Data sources: SalaryDr verified physician submissions • BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (May 2024) • BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Career Score methodology: salarydr.com/methodology

According to SalaryDr Career Intelligence data from 26 verified Pain Management Physicians (as of August 2026), the Physician Career Score for Pain Management is 76/100. Median total compensation is $630,000, career satisfaction is 4.3/5, and 92% would choose the specialty again.