# Pediatricians, General

> Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pediatricians-general
- SOC code: 29-1221.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $210,040 (10th percentile $91,470, 90th percentile $338,500)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.5%
- Openings a year: 1,000
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 44 |
| Investigative (I) | 86 |
| Artistic (A) | 15 |
| Social (S) | 94 |
| Enterprising (E) | 26 |
| Conventional (C) | 43 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 99/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 96/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 96/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 95/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 91/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 91/100)
- Getting Information (importance 90/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 85/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 81/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 79/100)

## Skills

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

## Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry, Therapy and Counseling, Biology, Psychology, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Baby Doctor, Developmental Pediatrician, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician, DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician), Doctor, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Internal Medicine Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD)

## 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
- [General Internal Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/general-internal-medicine-physicians): $256,560 median pay
- [Family Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/family-medicine-physicians): $244,180 median pay
- [Emergency Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medicine-physicians): $335,550 median pay
- [Obstetricians and Gynecologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/obstetricians-and-gynecologists): $292,910 median pay
- [Neurologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/neurologists): $248,560 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.