Anesthesiologists
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
Also called: Ambulatory Anesthesiologist, Anesthesiologist MD (Anesthesiologist Medical Doctor), Anesthesiology Pain Management Physician, Anesthesiology Physician, Anesthesiology Resident, Anesthetist
Median pay
$391,490
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$101,460 – $557,130
People employed
38,760
Holland code
ISR
Investigative · Social · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 5.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 6.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 7.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 8.Do you prefer working indoors?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Anesthesiologists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (24 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What anesthesiologists do
- 01Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
- 02Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
- 03Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
- 04Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
- 05Decide when patients have recovered or stabilized enough to be sent to another room or ward or to be sent home following outpatient surgery.
- 06Coordinate administration of anesthetics with surgeons during operation.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Biology
- Psychology
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 10 years.
- On-the-job training: over 4 years, up to and including 10 years.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from anesthesiologists
- Athletic Trainers50% · −84%
- Orthotists and Prosthetists47% · −79%
- Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary46% · −76%
- Medical Dosimetrists46% · −62%
- Midwives46% · group pay
Majors that lead here
- Medicine
- Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
- Emergency Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
- Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
- Pediatrics/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
- Anesthesiology Residency Program
- Anesthesiology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.