How much does a anesthesiologist make?
Answer: A typical anesthesiologist in the United States makes $391,490 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 39,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Anesthesiologist pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $101,460 | $391,490 | $557,130 | about 39,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $496,510 | about 870 |
| Ohio | $490,530 | about 780 |
| New York | $445,660 | about 7,000 |
| Wisconsin | $443,990 | about 790 |
| Indiana | $394,060 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ with experience, board certification or extra fellowship training, the employer, and location. More on-call, night, or overtime shifts may also change total pay.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a anesthesiologist do?
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
What's a typical day like?
They check patients and plan anesthesia before surgery. In the operating room, they watch breathing and heartbeat, manage pain and alertness, then check recovery afterward.
How to get this job
In the U.S., future anesthesiologists complete 4 years each of college and medical school, then a 4-year anesthesia residency. After national exams and a state license, they can take the ABA exam; a straight-through path often ends around age 30.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and helping and teaching.
Did you know?
A rare surprise: in about 1 or 2 out of every 1,000 general-anesthesia cases, a patient becomes conscious during surgery.
Similar jobs
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Healthcare Practitioners and Technical jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
- www.asahq.org/education-and-career/career-resources/anesthesia-as-a-career
- www.asahq.org/education-and-career/career-resources/anesthesia-as-a-career/anest
- www.medschool.umaryland.edu/anesthesiology/patient-information/role-of-the-anest
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/anesthesia-awareness
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY