Psychiatrists: Job Description
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders.
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What Do Psychiatrists Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of psychiatrists include:
- Prescribe, direct, or administer psychotherapeutic treatments or medications to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.
- Gather and maintain patient information and records, including social or medical history obtained from patients, relatives, or other professionals.
- Design individualized care plans, using a variety of treatments.
- Collaborate with physicians, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, or other professionals to discuss treatment plans and progress.
- Analyze and evaluate patient data or test findings to diagnose nature or extent of mental disorder.
- Examine or conduct laboratory or diagnostic tests on patients to provide information on general physical condition or mental disorder.
- Counsel outpatients or other patients during office visits.
- Advise or inform guardians, relatives, or significant others of patients' conditions or treatment.
What Psychiatrists Need to Know
Top psychiatrists draw 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:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Psychiatrists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Addiction Psychiatrist
- Adult Inpatient Psychiatrist
- Adult Outpatient Psychiatrist
- Adult Psychiatrist
- Behavioral Analyst
- Behavioral Specialist
- Child Psychiatrist
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Physician
How Many Psychiatrists Are There?
There are roughly 1,741,236 psychiatrists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.1% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Psychiatrists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $41,130 |
| Hourly median | $19.77 |
| 10th percentile | $25,535 |
| 25th percentile | $33,333 |
| 75th percentile | $48,927 |
| 90th percentile | $56,725 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Psychiatrists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $236,740 |
| Kentucky | $229,630 |
| Nebraska | $229,240 |
| Georgia | $229,190 |
| New York | $228,580 |
| Massachusetts | $221,160 |
| New Hampshire | $211,370 |
| Hawaii | $203,440 |
| Nevada | $202,860 |
| Arkansas | $195,430 |
| Mississippi | $195,210 |
| District of Columbia | $193,470 |
| Tennessee | $166,470 |
| Alaska | $140,650 |
| South Carolina | $135,530 |
| West Virginia | $65,790 |
Where Psychiatrists Earn the Most
Earnings for psychiatrists shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $144,778 | 26.9% | 2.00 |
| New England | $129,268 | 9.3% | 2.09 |
| Southeast | $67,700 | 15.7% | 0.74 |
| Far Western US | $7,889 | 22.0% | 1.39 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $236,740 | 600 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | KY | $235,770 | 50 |
| Fresno, CA | CA | $235,650 | 110 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | NC | $232,120 | 50 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $229,980 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $229,630 | 3,680 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | KY | $229,440 | 70 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | NE | $229,230 | 90 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of psychiatrists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 20,580 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 1,190 | $98,560 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 60 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 50 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for psychiatrists reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
How to Become Psychiatrists
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (Primary-Long)
- Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring psychiatrists commonly pursue programs in:
11 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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: 29-1223.00 (Psychiatrists).
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