Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Psychiatrists: Similar Pay, 1.7% vs 7.2% Growth

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Psychiatrists: what changes?

Consider Obstetricians and Gynecologists if you want to provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. 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 Obstetricians and Gynecologists 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

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

National median pay (2025): $292,910
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: Treat diseases of female organs.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 500

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Obstetricians and Gynecologists 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 projected growth

Psychiatrists is at 7.2% projected growth, compared with 1.7% projected growth for Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Psychiatrists has the edge on annual openings

Psychiatrists is at 900 annual openings, compared with 500 annual openings for Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists has the edge on median pay

Obstetricians and Gynecologists is at $292,910, compared with $281,870 for Psychiatrists.

43.2/ 100

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

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.

Detailed evidence

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Psychiatrists

Dimension	Obstetricians and Gynecologists	Psychiatrists
Median pay (2025)	$292,910	$281,870
Pay percentile	98.8 percentile	98.4 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	1.7%	7.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	500	900
2025 employment	22,800	30,000
How you qualify	Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements	Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.	Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Obstetricians and Gynecologists brief Read Psychiatrists brief

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Psychiatrists: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Psychiatrists

How the national numbers differ

Psychiatrists has the edge on projected growth

Psychiatrists has the edge on annual openings

Obstetricians and Gynecologists has the edge on median pay

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Psychiatrists

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