How much does a anesthesiologist make?

The median pay is $188.22 per hour — roughly $391,500 a year, with the real range running from about $48.78/hr (10th percentile) to $267.85/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a anesthesiologist?

The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

What does a anesthesiologist actually do all day?

Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications. Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure. Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.

Health Care◆ PROMISING

Anesthesiologists

Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.

What it pays
Anesthesiologists earn a median of $188.22/hr — about $391,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $48.78/hr; the top 10% earn $267.85/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.
Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
Position patient on operating table to maximize patient comfort and surgical accessibility.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 4.7% of anesthesiologists are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are analytical, people-focused and hands-on.

Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.

Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a anesthesiologist make?: The median pay is $188.22 per hour — roughly $391,500 a year, with the real range running from about $48.78/hr (10th percentile) to $267.85/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a anesthesiologist?: The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
What does a anesthesiologist actually do all day?: Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications. Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure. Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.