How much does a pathologist make?
Answer: A typical pathologist in the United States makes $312,400 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 11,000 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
Pathologist 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $92,540 | $312,400 | $449,970 | about 11,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $362,270 | about 550 |
| Texas | $345,830 | about 2,000 |
| New York | $321,550 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., more experience, extra specialty training or credentials, and harder responsibilities can affect a pathologist’s pay. Location and employer type matter too: pay may differ between university settings and non-academic hospitals or labs.
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 pathologist do?
Diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.
What's a typical day like?
Pathologists examine thin glass slides and lab results from tissue, blood, or fluid samples, then write reports explaining what they found. They may discuss tricky cases with surgeons and check that lab tests are accurate.
How to get this job
U.S. pathologists earn a bachelor’s degree, complete four years of medical school and usually four years of pathology residency, and pass USMLE exams. They then get a state license; many start practice around age 30, later if they do a fellowship.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing.
Did you know?
Autopsies are only a small part of pathology residency; some pathologists never do one after training.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
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/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/custom/29-1222.00
- www.usmle.org/path-licensure
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.cap.org/article/the-state-of-pathologists-job-market-and-compensation
- www.cap.org/article/the-top-5-pathology-myths-busted/
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY