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Neurologists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 29-1217 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$248,560
$119.50/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Neurologists salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS August 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$83K
P25$156K
P50$249K
P75$358K
P90$451K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
🔥
Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.4% (JOLTS, August 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $248,560 to $357,989 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Neurologists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Hiring demand · HOT

Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted down from 5.9% to 5.4% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 5.4 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: sector openings fell to 5.4% (down 115K; July revised up to 5.8%), still the tightest major sector. Quits held at 2.0%.
  • Sep 1, 2026JOLTS July 2026: sector openings rose to 5.7% (up 54K; June revised to 5.5%), retaking the tightest-market spot. Quits steady at 1.9%.
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS August 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Neurologists is $248,560 per year ($119.50/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $156,000 and $357,989 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $450,778 per year. There are approximately 10,590 neurologists employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+5.4%
Faster than average
Annual openings
300
per year, on avg
Workforce today
8K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
17% from new growth83% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Internship/residency

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
7K$248,560
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
3K$271,290
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
650$230,200
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
210N/A
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
180N/A
Wage range across top 5 industries: $230,200 to $271,290 (18% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$40.08$83,366
P25$75.00$156,000
P50MEDIAN$119.50$248,560
P75$172.11$357,989
P90$216.72$450,778

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%

Health Care & Social Assistance openings fell 115K to 1.36M in August, rate down from 5.8% (July, revised up) to 5.4%. It is still the tightest major sector, and quits held at 2.0%. Compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average neurologists salary?

The national median salary for Neurologists is $248,560 per year ($119.50/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $156,000 and $357,989 annually.

How much do top-earning neurologists make?

The 90th percentile salary for Neurologists is $450,778 per year ($216.72/hr). The 75th percentile is $357,989 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for neurologists?

Entry-level Neurologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $83,366 per year ($40.08/hr). The 25th percentile is $156,000 per year.

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Neurologists Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
New York2,810 workersCalifornia1,090 workersTexas660 workersFlorida520 workersIndiana360 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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