Occupations · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Neurologists

Diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, with a primarily nonsurgical focus.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 29-1217.00

7,700people employed, United States

▲ 5.4%projected change, 2024→2034

300openings a year, incl. replacements

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$214,820	920
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$228,070	180
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$231,420	80
Worcester, MA	$228,470	60

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Doctoral or professional degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Interview patients to obtain information, such as complaints, symptoms, medical histories, and family histories.
Examine patients to obtain information about functional status of areas, such as vision, physical strength, coordination, reflexes, sensations, language skills, cognitive abilities, and mental status.
Perform or interpret the outcomes of procedures or diagnostic tests, such as lumbar punctures, electroencephalography, electromyography, and nerve conduction velocity tests.
Order or interpret results of laboratory analyses of patients' blood or cerebrospinal fluid.
Diagnose neurological conditions based on interpretation of examination findings, histories, or test results.
Prescribe or administer medications, such as anti-epileptic drugs, and monitor patients for behavioral and cognitive side effects.
Identify and treat major neurological system diseases and disorders, such as central nervous system infection, cranio spinal trauma, dementia, and stroke.
Develop treatment plans based on diagnoses and on evaluation of factors, such as age and general health, or procedural risks and costs.
Inform patients or families of neurological diagnoses and prognoses, or benefits, risks and costs of various treatment plans.
Prepare, maintain, or review records that include patients' histories, neurological examination findings, treatment plans, or outcomes.
Communicate with other health care professionals regarding patients' conditions and care.
Counsel patients or others on the background of neurological disorders including risk factors, or genetic or environmental concerns.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Active Listening4.2

Reading Comprehension4.1

Critical Thinking4.1

Speaking4.1

Writing4.0

Monitoring4.0

Active Learning3.8

Science3.8

Learning Strategies3.4

Mathematics2.9

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Epic Systems●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Word●eClinicalWorks EHR software●Allscripts PMAutomatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHRBenchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHRBizmatics PrognoCIS EMRCareCloud CentralCerner PowerWorks Practice ManagementEmail softwareEpic Practice ManagementGE Healthcare Centricity Practice SolutionGalacTek ECLIPSEGreenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITEHealthFusion MediTouchIOS Health Systems Medios EHRKareo Practice ManagementMcKesson Practice PlusModernizing Medicine Practice ManagementNextGen Healthcare NextGen Practice ManagementNuesoft Technologies NueMDVitera Healthcare Solutions Vitera IntergyWRSHealth EMRathenahealth athenaCollectore-MDs software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

5 / 5Extensive preparation — graduate school, and often a licence on top.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Exposed to Disease or Infections+2.3 above average

Consequence of Error+1.5 above average

Written Letters and Memos+1.4 above average

Exposed to Contaminants−1.3 below average

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled−1.3 below average

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.2 below average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions−1.2 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2012-07

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Post-Doctoral Training64%

Doctoral Degree29%

Master's Degree5%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)2%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2012-07

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Investigative7.0

Social5.0

Realistic4.1

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Social Perceptiveness4.1

Complex Problem Solving4.1

Judgment and Decision Making4.0

Coordination3.8

Service Orientation3.5

Persuasion3.5

Instructing3.5

Systems Analysis3.4

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Medicine and DentistryEnglish LanguagePsychologyBiologyTherapy and CounselingEducation and Training

Abilities it leans on

Inductive ReasoningDeductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionWritten Comprehension

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

PhysicianNeurologistEpileptologistNeurohospitalistNeurophysiologistChild NeurologistAdult NeurologistNeurology PhysicianMD (Medical Doctor)Headache SpecialistGeneral NeurologistVascular NeurologistPediatric NeurologistNeurosurgery Physician

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2020

Comparing O*NET release 25.1 (2020-11-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 2

+eClinicalWorks EHR software+Epic Systems

No longer listed 1

−eClinicalWorks Practice Management

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

MDPhysicianNeurologistEpileptologistNeurohospitalistChild NeurologistAdult NeurologistNeurophysiologistNeurology PhysicianAttending PhysicianGeneral NeurologistHeadache Specialist

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
specialised doctor	2212.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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