SOC 29-1081.00

    Podiatrists

    Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

    Median pay
    $160,300
    Growth
    +2.0%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    200
    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
    $66,010
    Median
    $160,300
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $309,670
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    9,680 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Podiatrists diagnose and treat human foot illnesses, injuries, and deformities. These medical specialists earn a median annual salary of $160,300, with earnings ranging from under $66,010 for the lowest ten percent to over $309,670 for the top ten percent.

    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 podiatrists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

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

    What the work is like

    Podiatrists spend their days caring for patients who have foot and ankle issues. They gather information, interpret medical findings, and make critical decisions to solve complex physical problems. This work requires strong skills in active listening, critical thinking, and reading comprehension to understand patient needs and medical histories. They must communicate clearly with patients, supervisors, and colleagues while documenting treatment details in computer systems.

    To perform this job well, practitioners must have deep knowledge of biology, chemistry, medicine, and psychology. They also need a strong foundation in customer service and administration. This career appeals to individuals with investigative interests who enjoy solving puzzles. Successful podiatrists display high attention to detail, cautiousness, and empathy. They must also show dependability, integrity, and self-control when working directly with the public.

    How to get there

    Entering this career requires extensive preparation. Candidates typically need a doctoral or professional degree, such as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. The college major that directly leads to this profession is medicine. Students must gain deep knowledge in education, training, and biological sciences during their years of schooling.

    Because this is a highly specialized medical field, some states list a license for this work. Aspiring podiatrists should check the specific board requirements in the state where they plan to practice. Those in the field may go by several titles, including foot and ankle surgeon, chiropodist, or doctor of podiatry.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for podiatrists is $160,300. This means half of the people in this profession earn more than this amount, while the other half earn less. The lowest ten percent of earners make less than $66,010, and the highest ten percent earn more than $309,670.

    There are 9,680 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 2%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth, along with normal turnover, is expected to result in 200 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    72 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    80 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    12 / 100
    Social (S)
    66 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    19 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    38 / 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 IRS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    98
    Documenting/Recording Information
    91
    Working with Computers
    86
    Getting Information
    83
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    83
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    79
    Processing Information
    77
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    75
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    74
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    73
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

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

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Administration and Management
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Psychology
    • Personnel and Human Resources

    Abilities

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

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Empathy
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control
    • Cooperation

    Also called

    Attending Physician · Chiropodist · Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) · Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery) · Doctor of Podiatry · Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM) · Foot and Ankle Surgeon · Foot Doctor · Foot Orthopedist · Foot Roentgenologist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to podiatrists

    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

      • Podiatrists$160,300 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 podiatrists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program
    • Podiatric Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
    • Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    54 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 6, 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 podiatrists

    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 titles for podiatrists?

    People in this profession are sometimes called chiropodists, foot doctors, or foot and ankle surgeons. They may also use titles like Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or foot orthopedists.

    What is the job outlook for this field?

    Employment for these specialists is projected to grow by 2% from 2025 to 2035. This rate of change is as fast as the average for all occupations, leading to an estimated 200 openings annually.

    Are there other medical careers similar to podiatry?

    Yes, related professions include dermatologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and pediatric surgeons. Other similar careers are orthopedic surgeons and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians.

    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 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.