How much does a brain doctor make?
a year · about $120 an hour
A typical brain doctor in the United States makes $248,560 a year, about $120 an hour, about 4.9× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They hear patients’ concerns, check strength, reflexes, speech and balance, and look for clues to brain or nerve problems. They review scans and tests, plan care, and may visit hospital patients or stroke emergencies when on call.
Did you know? In 2021, over 180 million people in the U.S.—about one in two—had a condition affecting the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $83,370 and $450,780How do you become one?
U.S. neurologists complete college, take the MCAT, then do four years each of medical school and neurology residency. They pass licensing exams and get a state license; board certification and optional fellowship mean many start around age 30 or later.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., neurologists’ pay can differ with experience, workplace, region, subspecialty, workload, and on-call duties. Credentials may matter too, but a license or board certification alone does not set someone’s pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Vermont ($434,730), lowest in West Virginia ($63,500).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $83,370 | $248,560 | $450,780 | about 11,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $434,730 | about 40 |
| Arizona | $409,610 | about 80 |
| Minnesota | $381,670 | about 310 |
| Texas | $360,640 | about 660 |
| California | $357,080 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.
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.aan.com/tools-resources/how-to-become-a-neurologist
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/print/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.aan.com/practice/benchmarking
- www.brainandlife.org/articles/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-general-neurologist
- www.aan.com/PressRoom/home/PressRelease/5296
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY