Physicians, All Other: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-1229 · O*NET 29-1229.00
Physicians, All Other fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Physicians, All Other earn a median salary of $265,930 per year, ranking in the top 2% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +3.4% job growth through 2035, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do physicians, all other earn?
The median annual wage for physicians, all other is $265,930. That puts physicians, all other at #16 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Physicians, All Other sit firmly in the top tier of U.S. earnings. Pay this high almost always requires extensive postgraduate education, board certification, or executive-level responsibility. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is physicians, all other a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for physicians, all other is +3.4%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 367K positions in 2024 to 380K in 2034, a net change of 13K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What education does my child need to become physicians, all other?
Becoming a physicians, all other typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
How to become physicians, all other: step by step
The typical education and licensing pathway from high school into this profession. Total time to entry is about 11-16 years. Steps marked optional are common for advancement but not required to start.
- 1
Undergraduate Preparation (Pre-Med)
~4 yearsComplete a bachelor's degree with required pre-medical coursework. Any major is acceptable if you complete the prerequisites.
- •General Biology I & II with lab
- •General Chemistry I & II with lab
- •Organic Chemistry I & II with lab
- •Physics I & II with lab
- •Biochemistry
- •English/Writing
- •Mathematics/Statistics
- •Psychology and Sociology (recommended)
- 2
Standardized Testing
Take the MCAT during your junior or senior year. Most medical schools require MCAT scores for admission.
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) - 3
Medical School (MD/DO)
~4 yearsComplete a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. First two years focus on classroom instruction, last two on clinical rotations.
- •Clinical clerkships (Year 3-4)
- •USMLE Step 1 & 2 (or COMLEX for DO)
- •Research and clinical experience
- 4
Residency Training
~3 yearsRequired 3-7 year residency in your chosen specialty (Family Medicine: 3 years, Surgery: 5-7 years, Internal Medicine: 3 years).
- •USMLE Step 3 (or COMLEX Level 3)
- •Board certification exams in specialty
- 5
Optional Fellowship
Optional~2 yearsOptional 1-3 year fellowship for subspecialization (e.g., Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Orthopedic Surgery).
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about physicians, all other
What is the median salary for physicians, all other?
The median annual salary for physicians, all other is $265,930 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is physicians, all other a growing career?
BLS projects +3.4% growth for physicians, all other from 2025 through 2035, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become physicians, all other?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to physicians, all other?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.