Neonatologist Salary Range

A newborn is known as a neonate during the initial days of his/her life. A neonatologist studies and specializes in the overall development and health care of a neonate. The neonatologist salary range is determined in accordance with factors such as employee credentials, years of experience, employer's capacity and type and size of the industry. It varies from state to state in the U.S.

Neonatologist's Educational Qualification
Neonatologist's job is considered to be one amongst the top paying jobs and careers in the U.S. A neonatologist's job is hospital based and he usually practices in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). He holds either a M.D.(Doctor of Medicine) or a D.O.(Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) degree. In the U.S., a pediatrician is expected to get the license to practice and then complete an additional training of 3 years which is known as a fellowship in neonatology. Neonatologists are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Similar programs are run by most of the countries for fellowship training in neonatology.

Neonatologist Job Description
A neonatologist is expected to be familiar with standard medical practices, concepts and procedures. Services in neonatology are mostly available at big hospitals as they have the resources to provide state-of-the-art NICU equipment and staff. A neonatologist is consulted when some medical problems are detected in the newborns, during or immediately after birth. A neonatologist is responsible for the treatment of these babies. He is responsible for the medication and due recovery of neonates. He is expected to determine the medical problems of premature and sick babies, by examining them, utilizing diagnostic images, physical findings and the laboratory test-results as diagnostic aids. A neonate facing a critical condition may require 24x7 medical support, thus leading to long shift duties and disturbed sleep schedule for the neonatologist. Premature babies require intensive medical care and neonatology is about caring for these infants. A neonatologist is also expected to assist baby's parents in handling the baby carefully and this he does by training and educating them about caring for newborns. During severely critical situations, he has to take quick decisions like referring the patient to other specialists or surgeons. Apart from higher education and experience, a neonatologist should have a compassionate mind and willingness to help the needy. Doctors and parents need to consult a neonatologist for birth defects or health problems in the newborns. Once the baby reaches home, parents are supposed to seek advice from a pediatrician (whenever the baby is ill).

Neonatologist Salary Range
Salary negotiation plays an important role in the career of a neonatologist, as does for any other profession. The neonatologist salary range may vary from person to person depending on his education, specialization and years of experience. A recently graduated neonatologist from a low acuity academic setting is given less salary than a veteran neonatologist from a high acuity setting who is able to provide direct patient care and take in-house night calls independently. There can be exceptions at both ends of the spectrum.

According to the data from the Economic Research Institute (E.R.I.) which is based on the information collected from thousands of HR departments of various companies, the neonatalogist salary range in the US is around $230,215 to $405,670. The average salary of a neonatologist is around $318,042.

Here is a list of some median, mid-career, annual, approximate salaries of neonatologists in various states. The salaries mentioned below may not include extra benefits such as bonus and other privileges.

City	State	Approximate Salary	City	State	Approximate Salary
New York	NY	$280,230	Seattle	WA	$240,000
Los Angeles	CA	$245,000	Miami	FL	$230,200
Houston	TX	$266,380	Atlanta	GA	$398,375
Chicago	IL	$284,950	Phoenix	AZ	$359,270
Charlotte	NC	$395,350	Orlando	FL	$320,350
Indianapolis	IN	$405,670	Boston	MA	$323,710

It can be safely concluded that neonatology is an exciting field and the job of a neonatologist is one of the respectable and rewarding jobs amongst all medical jobs. If you are passionate about the esteemed branch of pediatrics, neonatology will definitely be an exciting career for you. Giving you a chance to provide health care services to newborns, neonatology will surely provide you with the highest level of job satisfaction.