# Anesthesiologists

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

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anesthesiologists
- SOC code: 29-1211.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $391,490 (10th percentile $101,460, 90th percentile $557,130)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.6%
- Openings a year: 1,100
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ISR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 70 |
| Investigative (I) | 79 |
| Artistic (A) | 3 |
| Social (S) | 71 |
| Enterprising (E) | 25 |
| Conventional (C) | 45 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 99/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 98/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 96/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 95/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 93/100)
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others (importance 90/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 90/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 90/100)

## Skills

Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Science, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Writing

## Knowledge

English Language, Biology, Psychology, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, Chemistry, Physics, Therapy and Counseling, Education and Training, Law and Government

## Also called

Ambulatory Anesthesiologist, Anesthesiologist MD (Anesthesiologist Medical Doctor), Anesthesiology Pain Management Physician, Anesthesiology Physician, Anesthesiology Resident, Anesthetist, Attending Anesthesiologist, Cardiac Anesthesiologist, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist, Critical Care Anesthesiologist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Medicine](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5112) (CIP 5112, 133 colleges)

## Related careers

- [Pediatric Surgeons](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pediatric-surgeons): $559,030 median pay
- [Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/orthopedic-surgeons-except-pediatric): $358,550 median pay
- [Cardiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cardiologists): $496,010 median pay
- [Nurse Anesthetists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/nurse-anesthetists): $236,590 median pay
- [Anesthesiologist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anesthesiologist-assistants): $135,880 median pay
- [Emergency Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medicine-physicians): $335,550 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.