Otolaryngologists or ENT doctors are among the highest-paid professionals in the United States. This Buzzle article enlists the details about this noble profession, which includes their salary range, education, and medical maladies they can treat.
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Otolaryngology is one of the oldest medical specializations practiced in the United States. The New York Eye & Ear Infirmary, founded in 1820, is the first hospital of otolaryngology in USA.
Otolaryngologists are physicians who diagnose and treat diseases or conditions pertaining to the ears, nose, and throat, though related conditions to the head and neck may also take you to an ENT doctor. They use a variety of surgical as well as non-surgical interventions and techniques to treat patients. Though experience and place of work matters, ENT doctors enjoy lucrative benefits, bonuses, and compensations. Otolaryngologists are included in the occupational category of physicians and surgeons. Considering this, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics places them among the highly-paid medical professionals.
Salary of An Otolaryngologist
| Experience Wise | |
| 0 – 4 years | $50,000 – $300,000 |
| 5 – 9 years | $175,000 – $400,000 |
| 10 – 19 years and more | $225,000 – $400,000 |
| Specialization Wise | |
| Health Care | $150,000 – $450,000 |
| Hospital | $150,000 – $450,000 |
| Medical Office | $160,000 – $435,000 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospital | $160,000 – $450,000 |
| Outpatient Surgery | $170,000 – $450,000 |
| Certification Wise | |
| American Board of Otolaryngology | $200,000 – $500,000 |
| Board Certified Surgery | $150,000 – $250,000 |
| Region Wise | ||||
| Alabama | $185,000 | — | Alaska | $150,000 |
| Arizona | $160,000 | — | Arkansas | $175,000 |
| California | $200,000 | — | Colorado | $160,000 |
| Connecticut | $200,000 | — | Delaware | $170,000 |
| Florida | $175,000 | — | Georgia | $205,000 |
| Hawaii | $125,000 | — | Idaho | $135,000 |
| Illinois | $195,000 | — | Indiana | $175,000 |
| Iowa | $175,000 | — | Kansas | $165,000 |
| Kentucky | $155,000 | — | Louisiana | $155,000 |
| Maine | $155,000 | — | Maryland | $185,000 |
| Massachusetts | $210,000 | — | Michigan | $180,000 |
| Minnesota | $160,000 | — | Mississippi | $205,000 |
| Missouri | $180,000 | — | Montana | $175,000 |
| Nebraska | $140,000 | — | Nevada | $160,000 |
| New Hampshire | $180,000 | — | New Jersey | $195,000 |
| New Mexico | $165,000 | — | New York | $220,000 |
| North Carolina | $180,000 | — | North Dakota | $165,000 |
| Ohio | $175,000 | — | Oklahoma | $165,000 |
| Oregon | $170,000 | — | Pennsylvania | $165,000 |
| Rhode Island | $175,000 | — | South Carolina | $170,000 |
| South Dakota | $140,000 | — | Tennessee | $170,000 |
| Texas | $175,000 | — | Utah | $150,000 |
| Vermont | $170,000 | — | Virginia | $185,000 |
| Washington | $175,000 | — | West Virginia | $180,000 |
| Wisconsin | $160,000 | — | Wyoming | $160,000 |
(Salaries are approximate figures; will differ with location, experience, and type of organization. Data provided for informative purposes only.)
Education and Responsibilities
An otolaryngologist needs to complete nearly 15 years of education and training. This includes graduation from college and medical school, a one-year surgical internship, four years of surgical training as a resident physician in otolaryngology, and passing a certification examination by the American Board of Otolaryngology.
Otolarnygologists treat patients of all ages, and look into infections and maladies of the ear, nose, and throat. Ear infections, nerve disorders, pain, issues with equilibrium, hearing problems, ringing in the ears, age-related hearing loss, etc., will take you to these physicians. Nasal issues related to the sinuses, or weakened sense of smell, as well as throat-related issues that may affect the ability to swallow food, difficulty in speech, tonsillitis, etc., come under their area of expertise.
The specializations of otolaryngologists include allergy, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, head and neck, pediatric otolaryngology, ontology, and neurotology, rhinology, laryngology, or sleep disorders.
ENT doctors can take up supervisory or managerial positions in various hospitals or clinics. They can also work as professors or directors in medical schools, as hospital administrators, or may continue their own research.
Job opportunities and career prospects for otolaryngologists are expected to be quite good in the coming years, thanks to the increasing demand for physicians and surgeons. Also, the aging population requires more of these respected and noble professionals, otolaryngologists being one of them.