Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Doctoral or professional degree
None
Internship/residency
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Podiatrists are highly trained medical professionals who focus on the health of the foot and related areas, working at the intersection of science, problem solving, and patient interaction. This career offers a relatively small national workforce of 10,000, paired with a national median salary of $152,800, signaling a specialized profession with significant earning potential. Projected national employment growth of 1.8% suggests modest expansion rather than rapid change. Opportunity varies by location, with certain states and metro areas showing higher salaries or stronger overall opportunity scores. Success in this field draws on skills such as science, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving and decision making, and being detail oriented. Strong interpersonal, writing and reading, and customer service skills also matter due to regular patient interaction. For those who complete the required doctoral or professional degree and enjoy a mix of analytical work, technology, and hands-on patient care, podiatry can be a compelling long-term career path.
Podiatrists earn a national median annual salary of $152,800, indicating strong income potential for those who enter this specialized medical field. Salaries differ significantly by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, reported median salaries range from $108,460 in New York up to $232,970 in Washington. California and Massachusetts also report high median salaries of $201,300 and $217,700, respectively. At the metro level, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH shows the highest listed median salary at $239,990, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $204,350 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $201,360. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has a lower median salary of $108,160 despite its strong opportunity score. These variations suggest that geographic choice can significantly influence earning potential, and professionals may want to weigh both salary and overall opportunity score when evaluating locations.
Nationally, podiatrists have total employment of 10,000, reflecting a relatively small and specialized occupation. The projected employment growth rate of 1.8% points to modest expansion in the coming years. While this is not rapid growth, it does indicate a positive direction rather than contraction. The data lists annual openings as 0, which suggests that new opportunities may be limited in number at the national level, even as employment grows slightly. Because openings are a key factor for job seekers, this combination of small employment size and modest growth means that positions may be competitive in some areas. However, growth of 1.8% across the listed states and metro areas indicates a consistent, if measured, pattern of demand. For individuals who complete the required advanced education and build the right skill set, the outlook points toward a stable, specialized career path rather than one defined by rapid expansion.
Location plays a major role in podiatry opportunities, with notable differences among states and metro areas. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York all have opportunity scores above 65, but median salaries differ: $201,300 in California, $217,700 in Massachusetts, and $108,460 in New York. Washington stands out with the highest listed state median salary at $232,970 and an opportunity score of 56.29, while Colorado shows a median salary of $142,620 and an opportunity score of 56.97. All top states share the same projected growth rate of 1.8%, so the key differences are salary levels, employment size, and opportunity scores. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ both have very high opportunity scores above 77, despite large salary differences between them. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offers the highest metro median salary at $239,990, with a solid opportunity score of 63.37. These patterns highlight that some areas combine high salaries with strong opportunity scores, while others offer one more than the other.
Podiatrists typically need a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting the advanced level of medical expertise required in this field. This education pathway prepares individuals to work with scientific concepts and apply them in practice, aligning with key skills such as science, problem solving and decision making, and critical and analytical thinking. Being detail oriented is also essential, since precision and accuracy are central to professional effectiveness. The skill profile for podiatrists is broad, combining technical and interpersonal strengths. Competence with computers and information technology supports modern clinical and administrative tasks. Interpersonal and customer service skills help practitioners work effectively with patients and colleagues. Strong writing and reading abilities are important for documentation and communication. Adaptability and project management skills further support the demands of a professional healthcare environment. Together, the doctoral or professional degree and this diverse skill set help aspiring podiatrists meet the expectations of a specialized, patient-focused medical career.
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