Neurologists vs Psychiatrists: $249K vs $282K Median Pay

Neurologists vs Psychiatrists: what changes?

Consider Neurologists if you want to diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus. Consider Psychiatrists if you would rather diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Neurologists and Psychiatrists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Neurologists

National median pay (2025): $248,560
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 300

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Neurologists brief

Psychiatrists

National median pay (2025): $281,870
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Prescribe, direct, or administer psychotherapeutic treatments or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 900

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Psychiatrists brief

How the national numbers differ

Psychiatrists has the edge on annual openings

Psychiatrists is at 900 annual openings, compared with 300 annual openings for Neurologists.

Psychiatrists has the edge on projected growth

Psychiatrists is at 7.2% projected growth, compared with 6.4% projected growth for Neurologists.

Psychiatrists has the edge on median pay

Psychiatrists is at $281,870, compared with $248,560 for Neurologists.

52.5/ 100

Neurologists

56.9/ 100

Psychiatrists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

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