Is Pediatrics a Good Career in 2026?
Providing medical care for infants, children, and adolescents through age 21.
Based on 272 approved physician salary reports + BLS employment projections
SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Based on 272 approved physician salary reports + BLS employment projections
Score Breakdown
Demand score powered by BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034): 0.8% projected growth (little or no change)
What the scores mean
Median $240K is the lowest among major specialties -- subspecialty fellowship is the only path above $350K.
The highest purpose-driven satisfaction in medicine, though financial frustration creates a persistent undercurrent.
BLS projects 3% growth, with stronger demand for subspecialists in children's hospitals and academic centers.
Around 70% would choose again -- those who wouldn't overwhelmingly cite compensation as the reason.
Outpatient pediatrics offers excellent hours; hospitalist and NICU schedules are significantly more demanding.
Three-year residency keeps costs low, but $240K median makes the per-dollar ROI the weakest in medicine without PSLF.
Pediatrics is the lowest-paid major specialty (median $240K), but pediatric subspecialists in fields like cardiology or critical care earn $350K-$500K -- subspecialty fellowship is the financial inflection point.
Pediatricians report the highest purpose-driven satisfaction in medicine: treating children generates emotional fulfillment that partially offsets the salary gap, but "partially" is doing heavy lifting in that sentence.
The financial math of general pediatrics only works with PSLF -- a pediatrician with $300K in loans at a qualifying nonprofit effectively earns $80K-$100K more per year through forgiveness over a 10-year horizon.
Pediatrics Compensation & Earnings
Pediatrics Compensation
$310,000
$270,000 – $350,000(P25–P75)
Pediatrics Salary Progression
From medical school to senior attending — based on 272 approved salary reports
37 submissions
2 submissions
77 submissions
160 submissions
35 submissions
+16% salary growth from early career ($275,000) to mid-career ($320,000)
Best States for Pediatricians (After Tax)
Pediatric subspecialists in states with only one children's hospital command premium compensation -- scarcity creates leverage.
| State | Median Salary | After-Tax Income | Demand Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $460,000(4) | $433,780 | High(1,220 jobs) |
| Tennessee | $423,000(2) | $423,000 | Moderate(910 jobs) |
| Texas | $400,000(6) | $400,000 | Very High(2,690 jobs) |
| Wisconsin | $368,000(2) | $342,240 | Low(320 jobs) |
| Louisiana | $354,060 | $339,189 | Limited(70 jobs) |
Estimate Your Take-Home
Based on median Pediatrics salary of $310K/yr
Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay
Take-Home Pay by State
How much a Pediatrics physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes
Highest Take-Home States
Lowest Take-Home States
Tax impact: A Pediatrics physician keeps $175,031 more per year in Louisiana vs. Arkansas — a 56.5% difference on gross income of $310,000.
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 272 approved pediatrics salary reports — add yours in 2 minutes and see your percentile instantly.
Career Lifestyle
Career Reality: By the Numbers
Real data from 272 Pediatrics physician reports — not job board estimates.
What Physicians Actually Say
Themes across 11 written answers from Pediatrics physicians.
About the Career (5 answers)
Compensation
40%2 answers mention this
Autonomy
20%1 answer mention this
Call Burden
20%1 answer mention this
About the Lifestyle (6 answers)
Family Time
67%4 answers mention this
Call Impact
50%3 answers mention this
Job Market & Future Outlook
Job Market Outlook
BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034) for Pediatrics
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034. Includes wage/salary and self-employed physicians.
AI & Automation Impact
Caring for children requires empathy, physical examination skills, and parent communication that AI cannot replicate.
How Hard Is It to Match Into Pediatrics?
Pediatrics is relatively accessible with a 99.7% match rate for U.S. MD seniors. There were 0.46 applicants per position (1,442 applicants for 3,139 spots). Matched applicants had significantly higher Step 2 CK scores (247 vs 233).
Match Rate by Step 2 CK Score
What Differentiates Matched Applicants
| Metric | Matched | Unmatched |
|---|---|---|
| Step 2 CK | 247 | 233 |
| Research Experiences | 2.6 | 0.5 |
| Publications | 6 | 22 |
| AOA Members | 13% | 0% |
| Programs Ranked | 15 | 2 |
Data from Charting Outcomes in the Match, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), 2024. U.S. MD seniors. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Pediatrics: where the financial math only works with a plan
General pediatrics is the specialty that most directly forces a trade-off between income and meaning. Pediatricians consistently rank highest in "my work matters" surveys and lowest in compensation satisfaction. The $240K median is not just below adult medicine peers -- it creates genuine financial stress for physicians carrying $250K-$400K in educational debt, particularly in high-cost-of-living areas where the salary-to-housing ratio is punishing.
Subspecialty fellowship transforms the financial equation. Pediatric cardiology, neonatology, critical care, and gastroenterology all push compensation above $350K, with some surgical pediatric subspecialties (pediatric surgery, pediatric orthopedics) reaching $500K+. But the training pipeline is extended: three years of residency plus three years of fellowship means six years of post-medical-school training for a salary that adult subspecialists achieve with less total investment.
For medical students drawn to pediatrics, the career planning conversation must include financial strategy from day one. PSLF-eligible employment (academic medical centers, nonprofit hospitals) is the most reliable path to manageable debt. Rural practice premiums add $60K-$100K to base salary. And subspecialty fellowship, while extending training, opens compensation tiers that make the career financially sustainable without lifestyle sacrifice.
Training & Getting Started
6 years of post-medical-school training, with subspecialty fellowship options
Subspecialty Fellowships
Physicians Also Consider
Explore Pediatrics
Take the Next Step in Your Pediatrics Career
Real, physician-reported compensation data. 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 272 approved reports by Pediatricians (as of November 2026), the Physician Career Score for Pediatrics is 52/100. Median total compensation is $310,000, career satisfaction is 4.0/5, and 82% would choose the specialty again. The BLS reports 46,400 practicing Pediatricians nationally with 0.8% projected growth (2024-2034).