Is Anesthesiology a Good Career in 2026?
Ensuring patient safety and comfort during surgery and medical procedures.
Based on 164 approved physician salary reports + BLS employment projections
SalaryDr Career Intelligence
Based on 164 approved physician salary reports + BLS employment projections
Score Breakdown
Demand score powered by BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034): 3.2% projected growth (as fast as average)
What the scores mean
Median $420K masks a $150K+ spread between CRNA-independent states and team-model states -- geography is the single biggest variable.
Satisfaction runs high among subspecialists but drops sharply for those stuck in low-acuity community practice feeling replaceable.
BLS projects 5% growth, but hospital systems are substituting CRNAs faster than new positions open for physicians in many markets.
Around 75% would choose again -- the ones who wouldn't almost always cite scope-of-practice erosion, not the clinical work itself.
Call schedules average 4-6 nights/month in most groups, which is better than surgery but worse than the "lifestyle" label implies.
Four-year residency with $420K median makes the per-year ROI strong, but fellowship adds a year that pays back only in specific markets.
CRNA independence laws in 27 states are compressing anesthesiologist salaries by 15-20% compared to team-model states -- where you practice matters more than how well you practice.
The "lifestyle specialty" label is a relic: 60% of anesthesiologists report taking overnight call, and cardiac anesthesia fellowships now command $100K+ premiums specifically because of their brutal schedules.
Pain medicine fellowship has quietly become the best hedge in anesthesiology -- it creates a practice model immune to CRNA substitution with median compensation exceeding $500K.
Anesthesiology Compensation & Earnings
Anesthesiology Compensation
$535,000
$470,000 – $625,000(P25–P75)
Anesthesiology Salary Progression
From medical school to senior attending — based on 164 approved salary reports
56 submissions
2 submissions
69 submissions
76 submissions
19 submissions
+11% salary growth from early career ($485,000) to mid-career ($540,000)
Best States for Anesthesiologists (After Tax)
The $150K salary gap between team-model and independent-CRNA states makes geography the most important career decision in anesthesiology.
| State | Median Salary | After-Tax Income | Demand Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $725,000(3) | $701,075 | Moderate(800 jobs) |
| South Carolina | $700,000(4) | $658,000 | Moderate(870 jobs) |
| New York | $700,000(5) | $647,500 | High(1,850 jobs) |
| New Mexico | $682,500(2) | $646,328 | Limited(60 jobs) |
| Connecticut | $639,000(2) | $598,743 | Very High(41,890 jobs) |
Estimate Your Take-Home
Based on median Anesthesiology salary of $535K/yr
Select a state to see your estimated take-home pay
Take-Home Pay by State
How much a Anesthesiology physician actually keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes
Highest Take-Home States
Lowest Take-Home States
Tax impact: A Anesthesiology physician keeps $243,955 more per year in Alaska vs. West Virginia — a 45.6% difference on gross income of $535,000.
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 164 approved anesthesiology salary reports — add yours in 2 minutes and see your percentile instantly.
Career Lifestyle
Career Reality: By the Numbers
Real data from 164 Anesthesiology physician reports — not job board estimates.
What Physicians Actually Say
Themes across 30 written answers from Anesthesiology physicians.
About the Career (13 answers)
Call Burden
31%4 answers mention this
Procedural Work
23%3 answers mention this
Variety & Diversity
15%2 answers mention this
Autonomy
8%1 answer mention this
Impact & Purpose
8%1 answer mention this
About the Lifestyle (17 answers)
Call Impact
59%10 answers mention this
Exercise & Hobbies
29%5 answers mention this
Family Time
24%4 answers mention this
Job Market & Future Outlook
Job Market Outlook
BLS Employment Projections (2024-2034) for Anesthesiology
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034. Includes wage/salary and self-employed physicians.
AI & Automation Impact
AI-assisted monitoring improves anesthesia safety, but airway management, hemodynamic control, and emergency response require a human at the head of the bed.
How Hard Is It to Match Into Anesthesiology?
Anesthesiology is a competitive specialty with a 85.2% match rate for U.S. MD seniors. There were 0.76 applicants per position (1,628 applicants for 2,135 spots). Matched applicants had significantly higher Step 2 CK scores (252 vs 240). Students scoring >260 matched at 95%, compared to 69% for those scoring 231-240.
Match Rate by Step 2 CK Score
What Differentiates Matched Applicants
| Metric | Matched | Unmatched |
|---|---|---|
| Step 2 CK | 252 | 240 |
| Research Experiences | 3.8 | 3.1 |
| Publications | 9 | 5 |
| AOA Members | 14% | 1% |
| Programs Ranked | 14 | 7 |
Data from Charting Outcomes in the Match, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), 2024. U.S. MD seniors. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Why anesthesiology isn't as lifestyle-friendly as the stereotype suggests
The anesthesiology market is splitting into two realities defined by state scope-of-practice laws. In ACT model states where CRNAs practice under physician supervision, anesthesiologists command $450K-$550K with strong job security. In full-practice-authority states, the same physician may earn $350K-$420K and face growing employment pressure from hospital systems that see an obvious cost arbitrage.
The lifestyle reputation was earned in the 1990s and hasn't been updated. Modern anesthesiology groups run lean -- covering trauma, obstetric, and cardiac cases 24/7 with fewer partners means more overnight call per physician. The four-year residency is clinically intense, and the transition to independent practice is steeper than most procedural specialties because the stakes of a bad day are measured in minutes, not hours.
Smart career planning in anesthesiology now means choosing geography as carefully as choosing fellowship. A cardiac or pain fellowship in a team-model state is the highest-ceiling path. A general anesthesiologist in an independent-CRNA state may find the math doesn't justify the training investment over a CRNA career that starts 4+ years earlier.
Training & Getting Started
5 years of post-medical-school training, with subspecialty fellowship options
Subspecialty Fellowships
Physicians Also Consider
Explore Anesthesiology
Take the Next Step in Your Anesthesiology 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 164 approved reports by Anesthesiologists (as of October 2026), the Physician Career Score for Anesthesiology is 70/100. Median total compensation is $535,000, career satisfaction is 3.9/5, and 91% would choose the specialty again. The BLS reports 45,300 practicing Anesthesiologists nationally with 3.2% projected growth (2024-2034).