Anesthesiologist Salary Report 2026 Q1 State-by-State Advertised Pay and National Trends———Published May 2026 The landscape of Anesthesiologist compensation is shifting rapidly as healthcare systems compete for top physician talent. With advertised base salaries in high-demand markets frequently exceeding $500,000, the earning potential for anesthesiologists remains among the highest in medicine. Explore our comprehensive reports below [...]
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Anesthesiologist Salary Report 2026 Q1
State-by-State Advertised Pay and National Trends ——— Published May 2026
The landscape of Anesthesiologist compensation is shifting rapidly as healthcare systems compete for top physician talent. With advertised base salaries in high-demand markets frequently exceeding $500,000, the earning potential for anesthesiologists remains among the highest in medicine. Explore our comprehensive reports below to track the latest state-by-state salary trends and advertised pay benchmarks for MDs and DOs.
This page collects every quarterly Anesthesiologist salary report in one place so you can easily compare trends throughout the year. Each update includes state-by-state averages, national benchmarks, and detailed analysis using real posted data from hospitals and private practice groups. New reports are added every quarter to provide clear and transparent insight into today’s physician compensation landscape.
Key Findings from the 2025 Q4 Anesthesiologist Salary Report
Advertised W2 anesthesiologist salaries nationwide typically range from $400,000 to over $650,000, based on employer-published job postings.
North Dakota ($657,500), Alaska ($637,500), and Louisiana lead state averages; Colorado, Minnesota, and Montana sit at the lower end.
California posted the widest range ($330,000–,100,000); Utah had no available data.
Salary transparency laws are increasing pay range disclosures in postings.
1099 contractor rates of
50–$350/hour are pushing W2 offers higher, with annual equivalents reaching $600,000–$800,000+.
Staffing shortages are driving up base pay, call stipends, retention bonuses, and benefits.
Advertised salary excludes call pay, overtime, bonuses, and CME/retirement contributions — actual earnings are typically higher.
“Anesthesiologists remain in high demand nationwide, and access to transparent compensation data empowers physicians to make confident, informed career decisions,” said Patrick Flaherty, Founder of BagMask.com. “Our Q4 report delivers real world salary insights drawn directly from job postings so anesthesiologists can see exactly what employers are offering in today’s market.”
Anesthesiologists are consistently among the highest-paid physicians in the United States.
The most direct answer, based on national data, is that the median annual salary is over $400,000, with average compensation often climbing well above that figure once bonuses and incentives are included.
Here is a breakdown of anesthesiologist salary data and the key factors that cause it to vary so widely:
The most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Medscape Physician Compensation Report, and major industry surveys show high compensation for this specialty:
- Median Annual Salary: Approximately $400,000+ (BLS) - Average Total Compensation: Reported at $472,000 by the Medscape 2024 Anesthesiologist Compensation Report - Advertised W2 Base Salary Range: Frequently $400,000 to $650,000+ based on real job postings, with peak offers in high-demand states now reaching ,000,000
Want to find out what anesthesiologists are earning in your state? Download the latest BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report above.
What is an anesthesiologist?
An anesthesiologist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who specializes in anesthesia, perioperative medicine, pain management, and critical care. After completing medical school, anesthesiologists complete a four-year anesthesiology residency and may pursue additional fellowship training in subspecialties such as cardiac anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, pain medicine, critical care, obstetric anesthesia, or regional anesthesia.
Anesthesiologists are responsible for evaluating patients before surgery, administering and managing anesthesia during procedures, monitoring vital functions, and overseeing recovery — making them central to safe surgical and procedural care.
What is the median annual salary for an anesthesiologist?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for anesthesiologists is approximately $400,000 or more, placing the specialty among the highest-earning medical professions in the country.
Advertised job postings tracked by BagMask show W2 base pay ranges typically running from $400,000 to over $650,000, with high-demand markets pushing peak offers into seven figures.
Grab a copy of the latest BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report above to see what anesthesiologists are earning in your state.
What is the typical entry-level salary for an anesthesiologist?
Entry-level anesthesiologists coming out of residency typically start in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, though new physicians in high-demand or hard-to-staff markets are increasingly seeing starting offers above $450,000, often with significant signing and retention bonuses.
To find out what anesthesiologist salaries look like in your state, download the BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report.
What factors most affect an anesthesiologist's salary?
Several key factors influence anesthesiologist compensation:
- Geographic Location: States with higher cost of living, recruitment challenges, or aging patient populations often offer significantly higher pay. - Practice Setting: Private practice and independent groups typically pay more in base salary than academic or university-based positions, which trade pay for stability, benefits, and teaching opportunities. - Subspecialty: Cardiac, pain medicine, pediatric, and critical care anesthesiologists generally command higher compensation than general anesthesia roles. - Call Burden: Positions with heavy in-house call, trauma coverage, or weekend obligations typically carry higher base pay and stipends. - Employment Type: Locum Tenens (1099 contract) anesthesiologists frequently earn 50 to $350+ per hour, which can translate to annual income in the mid-$600,000s to over $800,000 depending on hours worked. - Experience and Leadership: Senior anesthesiologists, medical directors, and department chiefs earn well above the national averages.
Which states pay anesthesiologists the highest salaries?
Top-paying states for anesthesiologists shift quarter to quarter, driven by local supply and demand, recruitment competition, and call burden. Recent BagMask data shows states like Alaska, North Dakota, Louisiana, Illinois, Washington, California, and Texas consistently appearing near the top of advertised W2 base pay rankings, with peak offers in Arizona and Indiana reaching ,000,000.
Download the latest BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report above for the current state-by-state rankings.
Why does advertised salary not equal total compensation for anesthesiologists?
The salary range in a job posting rarely tells the full story. Anesthesiologists typically earn significantly more once these additional components are added:
- Call pay and callback pay for nights, weekends, and holidays - Extra OR blocks, overtime, and trauma coverage - Signing bonuses, retention bonuses, and loan repayment - Productivity and quality incentives - CME funds, retirement contributions, and full benefits packages
Because of these elements, actual take-home compensation is often well above the advertised base salary range.
Is the job outlook for anesthesiologists strong?
Yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects continued employment growth for anesthesiologists, supported by an aging population, rising surgical and procedural volume, growth in ambulatory surgery centers, and persistent regional staffing shortages. Demand remains particularly strong in rural markets, the Midwest, and the South, where facilities are aggressively raising advertised base pay to recruit and retain physicians.
How often is the BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report updated?
The BagMask Anesthesiologist Salary Report is published quarterly, with each release built from thousands of real anesthesia job postings collected during that quarter. This allows anesthesiologists, recruiters, and healthcare employers to track real-time market movement, compare quarter-over-quarter trends, and benchmark offers against the most current advertised pay data available.
Download the latest report above to access state-by-state averages, rankings, and trend analysis.
