How long does the training take?

Typically eight years or more of study, then an internship or residency, often one to three years. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do pediatricians, general make?

The US median is $210,040 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

181 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Pediatricians, general: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Healthcare (clinical) · SOC 29-1221

$210,040US median pay, 2025

+1.5%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,000Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Doctoral or professional degree
Internship/residency
Work in: pediatricians, general

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Medicine	CIP 51.1201	150
Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy	CIP 51.1202	34
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0115	0
Pediatrics/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0119	0
Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0120	0
Pediatrics/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0121	0
Pediatrics/Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0122	0
Pediatrics/Psychology/Child-Adolescent Psychology Combined Specialty Program	CIP 61.0123	0
Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1703	0
Pediatrics Residency Program	CIP 61.1901	0
Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1902	0
Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1903	0
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1904	0
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1905	0
Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1906	0
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1907	0
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1908	0
Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1909	0
Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1910	0
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1911	0
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1912	0
Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1913	0
Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1914	0
Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1915	0
Pediatric Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program	CIP 61.1917	0

…and 3 more related programs.

See the 181 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically eight years or more of study, then an internship or residency, often one to three years. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do pediatricians, general make?: The US median is $210,040 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 181 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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