Pediatrician: career path and pay in the US
Where a Pediatrician goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Pediatrician to Senior Pediatrician / Chief of Pediatrics / Medical Director.
Also for the United Kingdom: Pediatrician in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 3 to 7 years
Pediatrician
$175K to $260K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: MD/DO - US, MBBS/MBChB - UK/EU, Medical License - US, GMC Registration - UK/EU.
Step 2 · 7 to 15 years
Pediatrician / Senior Pediatrician
$205K to $310K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: MD/DO - US, MBBS/MBChB - UK/EU, Medical License - US, GMC Registration - UK/EU.
Step 3 · 15+ years
Senior Pediatrician / Chief of Pediatrics / Medical Director
$240K to $365K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: MD/DO - US, MBBS/MBChB - UK/EU, Medical License - US, GMC Registration - UK/EU.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$175K to $260K → $240K to $365K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. No US estimate was found for Senior Pediatrician; this band is placed between the neighbouring steps. No US estimate was found for Chief of Pediatrics; this band is placed between the neighbouring steps.
What the work involves
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Science
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Therapy and Counseling
- Biology
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
Education people bring
- Post-Doctoral Training: 78%
- Doctoral Degree: 20%
- First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.: 1%
Job Zone 5, job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Other paths from here
- Chief of Pediatrics
- Medical Director
- Healthcare Administrator
- Pediatric Educator
More Healthcare paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Pediatric Surgeons, General Internal Medicine Physicians, Family Medicine Physicians, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.