Anesthesiologists
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
Also called: Medical Doctor (MD) · Obstetrical Anesthesiologist · Staff Anesthesiologist · Staff Anesthetist
Median pay (national)
$239,200+
$124,450–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
41,890
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.2%
~1,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
Doctoral or professional degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for anesthesiologists shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $124,450 at the bottom 10% — 1.9x. The median of $239,200+ leaves roughly 0% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.2% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 33 states with released data, Florida pays the most for this role (median $239,200, 0% vs the national median), while West Virginia sits lowest at $168,390 — a 42% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Epic Systems as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Science
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Coordinate administration of anesthetics with surgeons during operation.
- Decide when patients have recovered or stabilized enough to be sent to another room or ward or to be sent home following outpatient surgery.
- Confer with other medical professionals to determine type and method of anesthetic or sedation to render patient insensible to pain.
- Order laboratory tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic procedures.
Tools & technology
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- AetherPalm InfusiCalc
- Anesthesia machine software
- AtStaff Physician Scheduler
- Drug database software
- EDImis Anesthesia Manager
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Healthpac Medical Billing
- Medical calculator software
- Skyscape 5-Minute Clinical Consult
- Skyscape AnesthesiaDrugs
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Physics
- Mathematics