How to Become a Psychiatrist
Diagnose and treat mental illness as a physician, combining psychotherapy, medication management, and medical insight. It typically requires a doctoral degree (md/do) + residency, with a median salary of $281,870 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$281,870/yr
Middle half
$154,150 to $362,740
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
900
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Psychiatric Assessment
- Psychopharmacology
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Empathy
Helpful certifications
- USMLE/COMLEX + ABPN board certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
2/100
Work-life balance
66/100
Stress level
76/100
Related careers
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
- Physician Assistant$135,880 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Psychiatrist make?
The median pay for a Psychiatrist is $281,870 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $154,150 and $362,740 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Psychiatrist?
The usual entry point is a doctoral degree (md/do) + residency. Common majors are Psychology, Biology, Neuroscience, and Pre-Med / Pre-Health.
Is Psychiatrist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 900 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Psychiatrist use most?
Common skills for this role are Psychiatric Assessment, Psychopharmacology, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Empathy.
Planning to become a Psychiatrist?
Save this career to your PlanexAI path and track the majors, courses, and milestones that lead to it.
Not sure this is right for you?
Take our free 2-minute quiz to match your interests to majors and careers.
Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).