Working Conditions

• Pediatricians may work long and irregular hours, as they try to accommodate the schedules of their child patients and the patients' parents. Those in private practice typically have their own offices and a medical and administrative staff. Those in group practices or healthcare facilities may either provide or have backup coverage, offering them more time off and flexible scheduling. As of May 2009, their median salary was $152,240 annually, with a range of $84,840 to over $166,400. This is equivalent to $73.19 hourly, with a range of $40.79 to over $80. The salary information comes from a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  
  

Experience

• Experience grants pediatricians more exposure to different medical conditions and treatments, and to a wider network of patients, increasing their salaries. For example, as of March 2011, the middle 50 percent of new doctors made $90,000 to $133,100 per year, while those with one to four years of work earned $96,355 to $131,138, according to the PayScale Report. Those with five to nine years of employment got $101,444 to $147,040, and those with 10 to 19 years received $108,720 to $152,438. Veteran pediatricians with 20 years or more of experience were paid $120,761 to $159,794. PayScale salary ranges are from the 25th to the 75th percentile of those responding to the survey.
  
  

Employers

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the biggest employers of pediatricians were the offices of physicians, which include pediatricians in private practice. They made up 72 percent of the available 29,460 jobs. They were also the second highest-paying employers, at a mean $78.67 per hour, or $163,630 per year. The highest paying salaries were in local government, at a mean $84.59 per hour, or $175,940 per year, they offered only 80 positions, making this a difficult workplace to break into.
  
  

Locations

• The state with the best pay for pediatricians was Iowa, with means of $99.23 per hour, or $206,390 per year, for only 110 positions. Minnesota, which was also in the top five for pay, had lower means at $95.88 per hour, or $199,440 per year, but better opportunities with 920 jobs. As for cities, some sample locations and salaries include Boston, Massachusetts, with means at $81.71 per hour, or $169,950 per year, and Wichita, Kansas, with mean salaries at $115.80 per hour, or $240,870 per year.