SOC 29-1218.00

    Obstetricians and Gynecologists

    Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth.

    Median pay
    $292,910
    Growth
    +1.7%
    Slower than average
    Openings a year
    500
    Typical education
    Doctoral or professional degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $94,680
    Median
    $292,910
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $437,300
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    21,260 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Obstetricians and gynecologists provide medical care for pregnancy, childbirth, and female reproductive health. This highly specialized medical career offers a median annual pay of $292,910, with some professionals earning over $437,300.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What obstetricians and gynecologists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system. May also provide general care to women. May perform both medical and gynecological surgery functions.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    People in this career focus on diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases that affect women, particularly reproductive system disorders. They deliver babies, manage pregnancies, perform surgeries, and sometimes offer general medical care. Day-to-day activities involve assisting and caring for patients, making critical decisions, solving complex problems, and documenting medical information. They must gather and analyze data to identify medical issues and consult with other healthcare professionals.

    Success in this field requires strong skills in critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and judgment. Because they work directly with the public, these doctors must establish strong interpersonal relationships. Their work relies on deep knowledge of medicine, biology, psychology, therapy, and customer service.

    This role attracts individuals with investigative interests who enjoy intellectual curiosity and problem-solving. To handle the high-stakes environment of childbirth and surgery, practitioners must exhibit work styles such as attention to detail, dependability, empathy, stress tolerance, self-control, and cautiousness.

    How to get there

    Entering this career requires extensive preparation, typically classified as Job Zone 5. Prospective practitioners must earn a doctoral or professional degree. The primary college major that leads to this profession is medicine.

    After completing their medical degree, graduates undergo residency training to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology. Some states list a license for this work, which is a standard requirement to practice medicine.

    Practitioners can also pursue professional certifications to validate their expertise. Available credentials include Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics from the American Board of Physician Specialties, Certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Obstetrics & Gynecology certification from the American Board of Physician Specialties.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for obstetricians and gynecologists was $292,910. Earnings vary based on experience and location; the lowest 10% of earners make less than $94,680, while the highest 10% earn more than $437,300.

    There are 21,260 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 1.7%, which is slower than average. Despite this slow growth rate, the field is projected to have 500 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    60 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    75 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    8 / 100
    Social (S)
    74 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    29 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    45 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ISR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    97
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    95
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    93
    Documenting/Recording Information
    91
    Getting Information
    88
    Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
    87
    Analyzing Data or Information
    86
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    86
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    85
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    85
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Learning
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Monitoring
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Coordination

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Biology
    • English Language
    • Psychology
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Education and Training
    • Chemistry
    • Administrative

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Clarity
    • Speech Recognition

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cautiousness
    • Empathy
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Self-Control
    • Cooperation
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Doctor · GYN (Gynecologist) · GYN Physician (Gynecology Physician) · Gynecologic Oncologist · Gynecological Oncologist · Hospitalist · Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician (MFM Physician) · MD (Medical Doctor) · OB (Obstetrician) · OB Specialist (Obstetrics Specialist)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to obstetricians and gynecologists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Obstetricians and Gynecologists$292,910 median pay

    3. Majors

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What obstetricians and gynecologists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
    • Maternal and Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
    • Medicine
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
    • Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    53 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Federal

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about obstetricians and gynecologists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for obstetricians and gynecologists?

    Professionals in this field are often called OB-GYNs, gynecologists, or obstetricians. They may also go by specialized titles such as Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physicians, Gynecologic Oncologists, or Hospitalists.

    What college majors prepare students for this career?

    Students must major in medicine to prepare for this profession. This path requires completing a doctoral or professional medical degree after undergraduate studies.

    How many job openings are expected in this field?

    There are 500 job openings projected each year in this field. This comes alongside a projected employment growth of 1.7% from 2025 to 2035.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.