Emergency Medicine Physicians Career, Salary and Skills
Emergency Medicine Physicians have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $335,550 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 32,880. Wage data is published for 82 locations.
Occupation description
Make immediate medical decisions and act to prevent death or further disability. Provide immediate recognition, evaluation, care, stabilization, and disposition of patients. May direct emergency medical staff in an emergency department.
O*NET code
29-1214.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Post-Doctoral Training
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$335,550
Hourly median
$161.32
Employment
32,880
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.38 | 4.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.38 | 4.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.25 | 4.75 |
| Speaking | 4.25 | 4.25 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.25 | 5.12 |
| Monitoring | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Writing | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Service Orientation | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.12 | 4.38 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.12 | 4.50 |
Typical tasks
- Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs and priority of treatment.
- Perform emergency resuscitations on patients.
- Stabilize patients in critical condition.
- Perform such medical procedures as emergent cricothyrotomy, endotracheal intubation, and emergency thoracotomy.
- Analyze records, examination information, or test results to diagnose medical conditions.
- Consult with hospitalists and other professionals, such as social workers, regarding patients' hospital admission, continued observation, transition of care, or discharge.
- Conduct primary patient assessments that include information from prior medical care.
- Select, request, perform, or interpret diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, emergency ultrasounds, and radiographs.
Technology
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
Emergency Medicine Physicians salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in NYMedian $301,690 · Employment 3,980
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in New York, NYMedian $289,440 · Employment 3,070
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in FLMedian $204,990 · Employment 2,060
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in OHMedian $377,480 · Employment 1,170
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in INMedian $347,060 · Employment 1,170
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in MNMedian $390,940 · Employment 990
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in MIMedian $417,760 · Employment 910
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in MAMedian $356,230 · Employment 890
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in TXMedian $316,830 · Employment 780
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in NCMedian $339,350 · Employment 710
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in Boston, MAMedian $356,230 · Employment 620
- Emergency Medicine Physicians Salary in KYMedian $169,390 · Employment 620
Related careers
- Critical Care NursesNational median $97,550
- Clinical Nurse SpecialistsNational median $97,550
- NeurologistsNational median $248,560
- Registered NursesNational median $97,550
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PhysiciansNational median $265,930
- Acute Care NursesNational median $97,550
- Nurse PractitionersNational median $132,300
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except PediatricNational median $358,550
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.