Diagnose and treat urgent injuries and illnesses in the emergency room, often making fast decisions.
Hospital emergency departments
Long shifts, nights, weekends, holidays
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Doctoral / professional degree
Training path: Medical degree plus emergency residency.
Requires a medical degree, a residency, and a state medical license.
Treats sudden injuries and illnesses in the ER, and sits among the very highest-paid careers, above $239,000.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-1214. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.