Pediatrician Salary Guide

The average annual pediatrician salary is $203,240 per year in the U.S., according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, pediatricians make a total of $244,000 per year, according to Medscape’s 2023 physician compensation report. Medscape also reports that pediatricians average income rose from their previous report.  

Locum tenens pediatricians can make up to $125 per hour. That being said, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate that rate over a year (at 40 hours per week), the average locum salary comes out to around $260,000. 

That means locum tenens pediatricians can make roughly 7% more than the average provider. However, making direct salary comparisons can be complicated. While perm pediatricians are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens pediatricians are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year. 

Furthermore, because locum tenens pediatricians are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried pediatricians additional hours may not be reflected in their salary.

Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm pediatrician salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance. 

The most recent state breakdown of ER doctor salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states, however the top 5 highest paying states for pediatrician salary are:

• Mississippi
• Alaska
• New Hampshire
• Texas
• Iowa 

Pediatricians are in the bottom half 30+ physician specialties surveyed in the Medscape 2023 compensation report. The top five specialties (plastic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, gastroenterology) all reported annual income of greater than $500,000.

Pediatrician salaries increased by 10% from last year, finishing in the top half of other physician specialties for income gains. If pediatricians continue this growth from 2023, pediatricians can expect to make $268,400 of annual income in 2024. Overall, compensation for pediatricians should continue to increase in the next few years.