Anesthesiologists
Also called: Ambulatory Anesthesiologist, Anesthesiologist MD (Anesthesiologist Medical Doctor), Anesthesiology Pain Management Physician, Anesthesiology Physician, Anesthesiology Resident, Anesthetist, Attending Anesthesiologist, Cardiac Anesthesiologist
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
What anesthesiologists do
Typical tasks
- Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
- Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
- Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
- Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
- Decide when patients have recovered or stabilized enough to be sent to another room or ward or to be sent home following outpatient surgery.
- Coordinate administration of anesthetics with surgeons during operation.
- Position patient on operating table to maximize patient comfort and surgical accessibility.
- Coordinate and direct work of nurses, medical technicians, and other health care providers.
- Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.
- Confer with other medical professionals to determine type and method of anesthetic or sedation to render patient insensible to pain.
- Manage anesthesiological services, coordinating them with other medical activities and formulating plans and procedures.
- Place invasive intravascular monitors into patients.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Anesthesiologists salary
The median annual wage for anesthesiologists is $391,490 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $101,460 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $557,130. The mean annual wage is $360,570.
The mean hourly wage of $173.00 is 23.9× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Anesthesiologists (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $391,490 → in 3 years $430,300 → in 5 years $458,200 → in 10 years $536,300 (10-year range $461,200–$622,700). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Anesthesiologists
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Anesthesiologists? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Anesthesiologists
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Anesthesiologists United States | 麻酔科医 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $391,490 | ¥15.12M ≈ $96,169 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $536,300 | ¥19.78M |
| Outlook score | 66 | 70 |
| AI replacement risk | 21% Low | 15% Very low |
| Workers | 39K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Anesthesiologists
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 5 — extensive preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★★ Hard to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become anesthesiologists
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as anesthesiologists
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.