How much does an anesthesiologists make?

The median anesthesiologists salary in the United States is $391,490 per year ($188.22/hour). Salaries range from $101,460 (10th percentile) to $557,130 (90th percentile). There are 38,760 anesthesiologists jobs in the U.S. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.

Which state pays anesthesiologistss the most?

The highest paying state for anesthesiologistss is Washington at $499,990 median salary.

Is anesthesiologists a good career?

Anesthesiologists employment is projected to grow 3.2% from 2024 to 2034 (as fast as average). There are approximately 1,300 job openings per year. Typical education required: Doctoral or professional degree.

What interview questions are asked for anesthesiologists roles?

Common anesthesiologists interview questions include: "Walk me through your pre-op assessment for a high-risk cardiac patient.", "Describe a difficult airway you managed.", "How do you handle a case where the surgeon wants to proceed but you have safety concerns?". Interview format at top employers ranges from behavioral panels (STAR method) to technical case rounds — for example Academic medical centers (Johns Hopkins, MGH, UCSF, Cleveland Clinic, Duke, Stanford, Michigan) typically uses 3-5 rounds.

What certifications should anesthesiologistss get?

Top-ROI certifications for anesthesiologistss: ABA Board Certification ($3,000-5,000 initial.); Pain Medicine Fellowship + Board Certification ($1,900-3,000 exam + 1-year fellowship.); Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Fellowship + Certification (ASE + PTEeXAM) ($1,500-3,000.).

How do you negotiate a anesthesiologists salary?

Anchor on documented market data (BLS median $391,490, p75 $490,530), specific outcomes you've delivered, and the specific band for your years of experience. Given my board certification + [fellowship: pain / cardiac / peds / etc.] + [X years post-training], base of $[X] aligns with MGMA + Doximity data for anesthesiology in [region + setting]. Also: sign-on of $[Y] (typical...

Anesthesiologists Salary

Q: What is the career ladder for anesthesiologistss?

The typical anesthesiologists career ladder: Resident (PGY-1 to PGY-4) (0-4 yrs, $62-82k/year salary) → Fellow (Pain, Cardiac, Peds, etc.) (4-5 yrs, $75-95k) → Attending Anesthesiologist (Employed / Group / Academic) (0-5 post-training yrs, $400-520k · Cardiac / Pain higher $500-750k) → Senior Attending / Group Partner / Pain Practice Owner (5-15 yrs, $500-800k · Pain / cardiac / partnership $650k-$1.2M).

The median anesthesiologists salary in the United States is $391,490 per year ($188.22/hour). Salaries range from $101,460 at the entry level to $557,130+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 38,760 anesthesiologists jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 3.2% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asAnesthesiologist

Median Salary

$391,490

per year

Hourly Rate

$188.22

per hour

Employment

38,760

jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile

$101,460

25th percentile

$207,000

Median

$391,490

75th percentile

$490,530

90th percentile

$557,130

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+3.2%

As fast as average

Annual Openings

1,300

jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Training Needed

Internship/residency

Anesthesiologists Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for anesthesiologistss.

Anesthesiologists manage perioperative care — pre-op assessment, intra-op anesthesia + hemodynamics, post-op pain + recovery. Career splits: hospital-employed (steady salary + call), private practice groups (partnership + productivity, most common historically), PE-owned megagroups (US Anesthesia Partners, NAPA, Envision — growing employment share), academic (research + teaching + lower cash), ambulatory surgery centers (better hours). Path: 4 yrs med school + PGY-1 internship + 3 yrs anesthesia residency + optional 1-2 yr fellowship (pain, cardiac, peds, critical care, OB, regional). Anesthesiology consistently top-paying medical specialty — median $460-550k, top-quartile $650k-$1M+. Fellowship-trained pain physicians often highest-paid.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Pre-op assessment + risk stratification

ASA classification, comorbidity assessment, medication reconciliation, cardiac + pulmonary risk assessment.

Airway management

Direct laryngoscopy, video laryngoscopy (GlideScope), fiberoptic, difficult airway algorithm. #1 core skill.

Regional anesthesia (neuraxial + peripheral nerve blocks)

Spinal, epidural, ultrasound-guided nerve blocks. Enhanced recovery protocols increasingly favor regional.

Hemodynamic management

Vasopressors, inotropes, fluid management, arterial + central line placement, TEE interpretation (cardiac).

Pharmacology of anesthetic agents

Volatiles, IV agents, opioids, muscle relaxants, reversal agents. Deep knowledge of interactions + dosing.

Post-op pain + PACU management

Multimodal analgesia, opioid stewardship, PONV prevention.

Crisis management + team leadership

Malignant hyperthermia, anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest, difficult airway. Team leader role in emergencies.

Documentation + billing (anesthesia units)

Anesthesia billing model (base units + time units + modifiers). Different from other physician billing.

How to Become a Anesthesiologists

1
Bachelor's + strong MCAT + medical school
Standard med school path. Strong Step scores + anesthesia rotation performance essential.
2
PGY-1 preliminary or transitional year + PGY-2-4 anesthesia residency
3 years of clinical anesthesia after intern year. Includes ICU, cardiac, peds, OB, regional, pain rotations.
3
Optional fellowship (1 yr — pain, cardiac, peds, OB, critical care, regional)
Fellowship required for practice ceiling — pain medicine ceiling highest ($550k-$1M+).
4
Board certification (ABA)
Basic exam during residency + Advanced exam post-residency + OSCE.
5
First attending job — hospital / private group / megagroup / academic
Private groups partnership-based (2-3 year track). Employed roles steadier. Academic pays less but offers research + teaching.
6
Optional: leadership + practice ownership
Group president, department chair, ASC medical director, or ownership stake in ASC / pain practice.

Career Progression

Resident (PGY-1 to PGY-4)

0-4 yrs$62-82k/year salary

•Increasing OR + procedural autonomy
•Rotations across all subspecialties
•Board prep

Next: Fellowship or attending.

Fellow (Pain, Cardiac, Peds, etc.)

4-5 yrs$75-95k

•Subspecialty training
•Research + presentations

Next: Subspecialty attending.

Attending Anesthesiologist (Employed / Group / Academic)

0-5 post-training yrs$400-520k · Cardiac / Pain higher $500-750k

•Independent OR + ICU + regional practice
•Call coverage
•Trainee supervision (academic)

Next: Senior attending / partner.

Senior Attending / Group Partner / Pain Practice Owner

5-15 yrs$500-800k · Pain / cardiac / partnership $650k-$1.2M

•Established practice + case complexity
•Group leadership + partnership responsibilities
•ASC medical director opportunities

Next: Chief / practice owner / senior partner.

Department Chief / Group President / ASC Owner

15+ yrs$550-900k+ · Owner-operator practice $700k-$2M+

•Practice management + P&L
•Payer contracts + strategy
•Regulatory + hospital relations

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 12 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your pre-op assessment for a high-risk cardiac patient.case

Concrete: History + review of medications + prior anesthesia complications + functional capacity (METs) + cardiac testing review. ASA class. Optimization opportunities. Discussion of specific anesthetic plan + risks with patient. Screens for real preop rigor.

Q2. Describe a difficult airway you managed.behavioral

STAR. Real case. Recognition of difficulty + backup plan + team communication + successful management or escalation. Screens for airway competency + humility.

Q3. How do you handle a case where the surgeon wants to proceed but you have safety concerns?situational

Concrete: Direct professional conversation privately. Explain concerns + data. Suggest optimization or alternative approach. Ultimately my decision on whether to proceed with anesthesia. Documentation. Never adversarial in front of patient/team. Screens for professional judgment.

Q4. Why our practice / hospital?culture

Research: case mix, group dynamics, technology, growth. Concrete citation. Screens for genuine fit.

Q5. How do you manage opioid stewardship in the perioperative period?technical

Concrete: Multimodal analgesia. Regional when appropriate. Non-opioid alternatives (acetaminophen, NSAIDs, gabapentinoids, ketamine). Realistic post-op prescribing. Patient education. Screens for modern practice + safety awareness.

Resume Template — Attending Anesthesiologist (0-5 yrs post-training)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Attending Anesthesiologist (0-5 yrs post-training)

▸Attending Anesthesiologist, [Institution]. Board certified (ABA). 2024 case volume: 640 anesthetics including cardiac + regional.
▸Regional anesthesia focus: 240 ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in 2024. Zero block-related complications.
▸Piloted enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for colorectal service; reduced average LOS by 1.8 days.
▸Precepted 8 residents on regional anesthesia rotation. Rated top-quartile teacher on annual evaluations.

What Gets You Rejected

✗Board complaints or clinical concerns without honest disclosure.
✗Weak airway management or crisis management demonstrated.
✗Discomfort with high-acuity cases or complications.
✗Poor OR team communication.
✗Inflexible on regional vs general anesthesia based on ideology not data.
✗Weak documentation habits.
✗Bad-mouthing surgeons or peers.
✗History of medication errors or drug diversion concerns.

Salary Negotiation Levers

✓Base + productivity (unit-based comp typical).
✓Sign-on bonus $50-200k depending on market + specialty.
✓Educational loan repayment.
✓Call schedule + call pay + weekend distribution.
✓Malpractice tail coverage (occurrence policy vs claims-made).
✓Partnership track timeline + buy-in structure (group practice).
✓ASC equity opportunity.
✓Fellowship differential (pain, cardiac, peds).
✓CME budget $8-20k/year.
✓Retirement + deferred comp.
✓Vacation weeks (8-12 weeks typical for anesthesiologists).

Anesthesiologists Resume Review — $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired anesthesiologistss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

✓ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
✓ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
✓ Missing skills / keywords flagged
✓ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
✓ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Anesthesiologists Career Kit — $19

✓ All 12 interview questions with expert answers
✓ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
✓ Interview format intel for 8 top employers
✓ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
✓ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
✓ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
✓ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
✓ Detailed salary negotiation script
✓ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
✓ Downloadable PDF for offline access
✓ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription

✓ 7-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews — real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

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— Anonymous, Financial Analyst

“Copy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.”

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— Anonymous, Registered Nurse

Anesthesiologists Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →

Salary Map — Click a state for details

$203K

$500K■ No data

Top Paying States

Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.

State	Median	vs. National	Employment
Washington	$499,990	+27.7%	1,540
Minnesota	$496,510	+26.8%	870
Ohio	$490,530	+25.3%	780
Virginia	$488,310	+24.7%	0
Connecticut	$481,820	+23.1%	0
New Hampshire	$481,640	+23.0%	330
Florida	$465,370	+18.9%	2,530
Pennsylvania	$461,390	+17.9%	410
Idaho	$449,990	+14.9%	0
New York	$445,660	+13.8%	7,230

Showing 1–10 of 25

Anesthesiologists Salary by Metro Area

Metro Area	Median	vs. National
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$646,930	+65.2%
St. Cloud, MN	$591,740	+51.2%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$512,620	+30.9%
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$500,990	+28.0%
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$491,640	+25.6%
Roanoke, VA	$488,310	+24.7%
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$482,020	+23.1%
Kansas City, MO-KS	$477,890	+22.1%
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$471,720	+20.5%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$460,800	+17.7%

Showing 1–10 of 37

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.

How does this compare to pro athletes?

A anesthesiologists earning $391,490/year would need 152 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 163 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.

See all sports & celebrity salaries →

📈 See how anesthesiologists salaries have changed over the past decade.

View Anesthesiologists salary trend (2011–2024) →