Career comparison
Family Medicine Physician vs. Pediatrician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Family medicine physicians earn more at the median ($244,180 vs. $210,040), while family medicine physicians usually get to work faster (11 years after high school of training). Family medicine physicians provide ongoing primary care to patients of all ages. Pediatricians care for the health of babies, children and teens.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Family Medicine Physician | Pediatrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $244,180 ($117.39/hr) | $210,040 ($100.98/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $76,830 – $428,550 | $91,470 – $338,500 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.3% (about as fast as average) | +1.5% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 2,900 | 1,000 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 11 years after high school | 11 years after high school |
| Key credential | ABFM board certification | ABP board certification |
| Work setting | Family physicians work in clinics, community health centers, hospitals and rural practices.. | Pediatricians work in clinics, hospitals, nurseries and community health centers.. |
What each job does
Family Medicine Physician
- Provide checkups and preventive care
- Diagnose and treat common illnesses
- Manage chronic diseases
- Perform minor procedures
- Order and interpret tests
Pediatrician
- Examine newborns and children
- Track growth and development
- Give vaccines
- Diagnose and treat illnesses
- Manage chronic conditions like asthma
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, high-pay, working with people, and indoor work. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose family medicine physician if…
- I want long-term patient relationships
- I like variety
- I enjoy prevention
Choose pediatrician if…
- I love working with kids
- I communicate well with parents
- I like prevention
Still torn? Take the Family Medicine Physician fit quiz and the Pediatrician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, family medicine physician or pediatrician?
Family Medicine Physicians earn more at the median: $244,180 versus $210,040 for pediatricians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Family Medicine Physicians typically train faster (11 years after high school) than pediatricians (11 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects family medicine physicians to grow +3.3% from 2025–35, compared with +1.5% for pediatricians.