Career
Podiatrists
Care for people's feet and ankles.
$160,300
Median pay
+2.0%
Job growth, 2025–35
200
Openings a year
Doctoral or professional degree
Typical education
7–8 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.
- Diagnose diseases and deformities of the foot using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results.
- Advise patients about treatments and foot care techniques necessary for prevention of future problems.
- Prescribe medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery.
- Surgically treat conditions such as corns, calluses, ingrown nails, tumors, shortened tendons, bunions, cysts, or abscesses.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
7–8 years of education after high school (doctoral or professional degree), for a median of $160,300 a year and 200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Podiatric Medicine/PodiatryCIP 51.1203
- Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency ProgramCIP 61.2201
- Podiatric Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, OtherCIP 61.2299
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$358,550 · +4.0%
- Pediatric Surgeons$559,030 · +2.0%
- Dermatologists$328,730 · +6.8%
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$300,080 · +4.5%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.