Neurologists: Career Profile
Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.
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What Tasks Do Neurologists Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of neurologists include:
- Interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories.
- Examine patients to obtain information about functional status of areas, such as vision, physical strength, coordination, reflexes, sensations, language skills, cognitive abilities, and mental status.
- Perform or interpret the outcomes of procedures or diagnostic tests, such as lumbar punctures, electroencephalography, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity tests.
- Order or interpret results of laboratory analyses of patients' blood or cerebrospinal fluid.
- Diagnose neurological conditions based on interpretation of examination findings, histories, or test results.
- Prescribe or administer medications, such as anti-epileptic drugs, and monitor patients for behavioral and cognitive side effects.
- Identify and treat major neurological system diseases and disorders, such as central nervous system infection, cranio spinal trauma, dementia, and stroke.
- Develop treatment plans based on diagnoses and on evaluation of factors, such as age and general health, or procedural risks and costs.
What Neurologists Need to Know
Top neurologists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adult Neurologist
- Adult and Pediatric Neurologist
- Child Neurologist
- Chiropractic Neurologist
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- Epileptologist
- General Neurologist
- Headache Specialist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 151,087 neurologists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +14.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Neurologists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $159,086 |
| Hourly median | $76.48 |
| 10th percentile | $107,679 |
| 25th percentile | $133,382 |
| 75th percentile | $184,790 |
| 90th percentile | $210,493 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $234,660 |
| Tennessee | $228,350 |
| New York | $214,820 |
| New Jersey | $213,200 |
| Florida | $165,860 |
| Pennsylvania | $140,970 |
| California | $124,830 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for neurologists differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $190,103 | 25.9% | 2.03 |
| New England | $126,021 | 9.4% | 1.89 |
| Southeast | $65,565 | 17.6% | 1.29 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $231,420 | 80 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $228,470 | 60 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $228,070 | 180 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $214,820 | 920 |
Top Industries Employing Neurologists
The bulk of neurologists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 7,150 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 210 | $80,090 |
Neurologists work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of neurologists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Contact With Others
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Chiropractors (Supplemental)
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring neurologists commonly pursue programs in:
10 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1217.00 (Neurologists).
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