Psychiatrist

Also called: Child Psychiatrist, Addiction Psychiatrist

A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental illness, including with medications.

A day in the life

Sees patients with depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or schizophrenia, adjusts medications, and works with therapists. Some work in ERs evaluating people in crisis; many now see patients by video from home. There is a national shortage, especially for kids.

Pay over a career

Starting
$180k
Typical
$270k
High
$400k

Estimate; BLS top-codes physician wages.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 12 years after high school. Bachelor's, medical school, then a 4-year psychiatry residency (plus 2 more for child psychiatry).

Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.

Majors to look at: Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, Pre-Medicine.

Outlook

Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Severe shortage keeps demand high.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk for 10 years. AI drafts visit notes and flags drug interactions; diagnosing, prescribing and earning a struggling patient's trust stay with the doctor.

Start now, in high school

Classes: AP Biology, AP Psychology, Chemistry.

Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1223.

More Mental & Behavioral Health careers

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.