- Salary statistics
- Pulmonologist salary
Pulmonologist salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
89 800 - 117 800 SEK / month
Women earn 99% of what men do.
Hälso- & sjukvård
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Salary progression Pulmonologist
What does a pulmonologist do? – Tasks and work environment
A pulmonologist, or specialist in lung diseases, is responsible for diagnosing, treating, and following up with patients with various lung conditions. Common tasks include performing spirometry, interpreting X-ray and laboratory results, and coordinating care for patients with conditions such as asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, or lung cancer. The work is often conducted at hospital lung clinics, but also at specialist outpatient clinics and within research. The work environment is characterized by a fast pace, close collaboration with other specialists, nurses, and paramedics, as well as high patient contact where communication and empathy are central to the role.
Salary development over time
Pulmonologists have experienced a stable and positive salary growth in recent years. In 2022, the average salary was 86,400 SEK per month, increasing to 93 600 SEK in 2023. In 2024, the average salary has risen further to 98 000 SEK, which represents an increase of approximately 8.3% over three years. This upward trend can largely be explained by increased demand for specialist skills in healthcare and a national focus on retaining and recruiting doctors for shortage specialties. Salary development has also been influenced by regional efforts to attract experienced specialists and the overall strong job market for specialists.
Pulmonologist salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 98 000 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 84,600 SEK/month (male, private sector employee)
- Highest salary: 110,600 SEK/month (male, public sector)
- Highest salary female: 101,500 SEK/month
- Lowest salary female: 91,200 SEK/month
- Hourly wage: 563 SEK
- Gender pay gap: Women earn 99% of what men do (men 98 700 SEK, women 97 300 SEK)
- Regional differences: Salary levels may vary between regions and employers, with higher levels in metropolitan areas and the public sector.
Education and qualifications
The path to becoming a pulmonologist is long and requires both theoretical education and extensive practical experience. First, a medical degree and licensure are required, followed by internship (AT) and specialist training (ST) in pulmonology. During specialization, knowledge in diagnostics, treatment, and research related to lung diseases is deepened. Additional merits include research experience, participation in international courses, and mentoring of junior colleagues.
- Medical degree: 5.5 years of university studies
- Licensure: After completing the medical degree and approved internship (minimum 18 months)
- Specialist training (ST): Approximately 5 years in pulmonology
- Practical training: Internship (AT) and specialist training (ST)
- Meritorious: Research experience, international courses, mentoring
Pulmonologists often encounter a wide range of patients, from young individuals with asthma to older patients with chronic or rare lung diseases. The role thus offers great opportunities to specialize further or work across disciplines with other medical specialties.
Common benefits and compensations
In addition to base salary, pulmonologists often have access to benefits such as extra vacation days, professional development, wellness allowances, and pension contributions. Many employers also offer flexible working hours, research opportunities, supervision, and compensation for on-call and standby duties.
Competition and challenges
Although the demand for pulmonologists is high, competition exists for the most attractive positions, especially at university hospitals and research-intensive clinics. Challenges include staying updated in a rapidly evolving medical field, managing high workload, and meeting patients with complex or chronic conditions. Recruitment difficulties sometimes lead to increased workload and demands for flexibility. At the same time, the profession offers significant opportunities for further education and specialization, making it attractive for many doctors interested in lung diseases.
Tips for aspiring pulmonologists
To succeed as a pulmonologist, it is beneficial to combine analytical skills with a genuine interest in patient interactions. Curiosity and a desire to continuously develop knowledge provide advantages during education and in professional life. Precision is crucial for interpreting tests and evaluating treatment outcomes, while teamwork skills facilitate working in interdisciplinary teams. Good communication skills help in difficult conversations with patients and relatives. Patience and perseverance are important, as training is lengthy and tasks often complex. Finally, initiative is an asset, especially for those wishing to contribute to research or develop new treatments.
Key facts about pulmonologists
- Educational level: Medical degree + specialist training (about 11 years total)
- Work environment: Hospitals, specialist clinics, and research
- Work mode: Full-time, often on-call and standby
- Demand: Very high, especially in metropolitan regions
- Special skills: Diagnostics, treatment, and research in lung diseases
Career paths and future prospects
After 3–5 years of experience as a pulmonologist, opportunities exist to advance to senior physician, medical director, research leader, or to work in training new doctors. Forecasts from the Employment Service indicate that the job market for specialists, including pulmonologists, is very good with substantial opportunities across the country. In the next five years, demand is expected to increase further, and recruitment difficulties lead employers to focus on retaining and developing experienced specialists. There are also opportunities to specialize further in areas such as lung cancer, intensive care, or research, broadening career options.
Frequently asked questions about pulmonologists
- What does a pulmonologist earn?
- The average salary for a pulmonologist is 98 000 SEK per month. - How long is the training to become a pulmonologist?
- The path to specialist takes about 11 years, including medical degree, licensure, and specialist training. - Are there salary differences between men and women?
- Yes, women earn 99% of what men do in the profession. - What does the job market look like for pulmonologists?
- The job market is very good with great opportunities for employment and increasing demand in the long term. - Which workplaces hire pulmonologists?
- Hospitals, specialist clinics, and research institutions are common employers. - What are the most common benefits?
- Benefits include professional development, extra vacation days, and wellness allowances. - How much does the highest-paid pulmonologist earn?
- The highest salary for a pulmonologist is 110,600 SEK per month.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80100 kr | 84700 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 85700 kr | 90300 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 96600 kr | 101800 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 98300 kr | 102700 kr |
| 65-68 | 97% | 103100 kr | 105900 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 93300 kr | 98000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80400 kr | 85800 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 85900 kr | 91400 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 94500 kr | 100700 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 99500 kr | 104800 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 103400 kr | 106700 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 92900 kr | 98500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 94% | 90400 kr | 91800 kr |
| 45-54 | 91% | 96300 kr | 97300 kr |
| 55-64 | 91% | 99500 kr | 103200 kr |
| 65-68 | 73% | 125700 kr | 128000 kr |
| Snitt | 87% | 97800 kr | 99800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80400 kr | 85900 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 85800 kr | 91400 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 94500 kr | 100700 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 99500 kr | 104800 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 102900 kr | 106200 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 92900 kr | 98500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 84900 kr | 85600 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 106600 kr | 107300 kr |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 94100 kr | |
| Snitt | 113% | 94900 kr | 95600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 84900 kr | 85600 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 106600 kr | 107300 kr |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 94100 kr | |
| Snitt | 113% | 94900 kr | 95600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80600 kr | 85900 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 84600 kr | 89900 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 96700 kr | 103600 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 97500 kr | 102900 kr |
| 65-68 | 97% | 104200 kr | 107300 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 93100 kr | 98700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80700 kr | 86900 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 86400 kr | 93200 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 95300 kr | 103200 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 100100 kr | 106600 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 105100 kr | 109100 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 94000 kr | 100900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 94% | 92700 kr | 95900 kr |
| 45-54 | 91% | 101600 kr | 104600 kr |
| 55-64 | 91% | 103700 kr | 108600 kr |
| 65-68 | 73% | 138500 kr | 141900 kr |
| Snitt | 87% | 105600 kr | 109300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80700 kr | 86900 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 86300 kr | 93200 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 95200 kr | 103200 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 100000 kr | 106500 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 104400 kr | 108300 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 93900 kr | 100800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 79000 kr | 79400 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 105700 kr | 106400 kr |
| Snitt | 113% | 89200 kr | 89800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 79000 kr | 79400 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 105700 kr | 106400 kr |
| Snitt | 113% | 89200 kr | 89800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 79600 kr | 83400 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 86700 kr | 90600 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 96600 kr | 100400 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 99100 kr | 102500 kr |
| 65-68 | 97% | 101200 kr | 103600 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 93500 kr | 97300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80100 kr | 84600 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 85400 kr | 90000 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 93900 kr | 98500 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 98900 kr | 102800 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 100900 kr | 103100 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 92000 kr | 96300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 94% | 89200 kr | 89800 kr |
| 45-54 | 91% | 94600 kr | 95000 kr |
| 55-64 | 91% | 96400 kr | 99300 kr |
| 65-68 | 73% | 103500 kr | 103900 kr |
| Snitt | 87% | 93800 kr | 94800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 97% | 80200 kr | 84700 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 85400 kr | 90000 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 93800 kr | 98600 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 99000 kr | 102900 kr |
| 65-68 | 95% | 100800 kr | 103100 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 91900 kr | 96300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 93100 kr | 94100 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 107100 kr | 107800 kr |
| 55-64 | 99900 kr | 101100 kr | |
| Snitt | 113% | 100600 kr | 101600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | 119% | 93100 kr | 94100 kr |
| 45-54 | 101% | 107100 kr | 107800 kr |
| 55-64 | 99900 kr | 101100 kr | |
| Snitt | 113% | 100600 kr | 101600 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Pulmonologist has the SSYK code 2211, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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