Rheumatologist salary

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  2. Rheumatologist salary
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Rheumatologist salary

98 000 SEK

Specialist doctors

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

Average salary 98 000 SEK/month Monthly gross salary
Salary range 89 800 - 117 800 SEK Latest available range Data year 2025 Latest published dataset

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Calculate take-home pay for Rheumatologist 98 000 SEK/month prefilled Calculate gross salary for Rheumatologist Start from net pay More salary pages Browse more roles Open jobs for Rheumatologist 512 matching jobs in Hälso- & sjukvård

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Salary trend About the role What does a rheumatologist do? – Tasks and work environment Salary development over time Rheumatologist salary – comprehensive overview Open jobs Related occupations About the data

Salary progression Rheumatologist

Average salary 98 000 kr
Males 98 700 kr
Females 97 300 kr
1 Likes 0 Comments 512 Vacant jobs ->

What does a rheumatologist do? – Tasks and work environment

A rheumatologist is a specialist doctor focused on diagnosing, treating, and monitoring rheumatic diseases. This involves investigating and treating patients with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, autoimmune diseases, and other inflammatory conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. The work is often conducted at hospital rheumatology clinics, but also in outpatient clinics or private specialist practices. A rheumatologist’s daily routine includes patient consultations, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and continuous professional development to stay updated on new treatment methods and research findings.

Salary development over time

The salary for a rheumatologist has steadily increased in recent years. In 2022, the average salary was 86,400 SEK per month, rising to 93 600 SEK in 2023 and reaching 98 000 SEK in 2024. The total increase over three years is approximately 8.3%. This positive trend can be explained by high demand for specialist doctors in the field, increased requirements for specialist competence, and strong competition for rheumatologists nationwide. Market conditions are also influenced by retirements and increased awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The pace of salary increases indicates that employers are willing to offer competitive conditions to attract and retain this expertise.

Rheumatologist salary – comprehensive overview

  • Average salary: 98 000 SEK/month
  • Lowest salary: 84,600 SEK/month (men), 91,200 SEK/month (women)
  • Highest salary: 110,600 SEK/month (men), 101,500 SEK/month (women)
  • Hourly wage: 563 SEK
  • Gender differences: Women earn 99% of what men do (98 700 SEK/month for men, 97 300 SEK/month for women)
  • Regional differences: Data on regional differences are limited, but salaries may vary depending on employer and geographic area.

Rheumatology is a rapidly advancing field, with many rheumatologists directly involved in clinical studies or the development of new treatments. This creates opportunities to influence future care and gives the profession a strong link to medical innovation.

– statsskuld.se

Education and qualifications

The path to becoming a rheumatologist is long and requires several years of education and practical experience. First, a medical degree is needed, followed by general internship (AT), and then specialist training in internal medicine and rheumatology. During specialist training, the doctor gains both theoretical and practical competence in rheumatic diseases and treatments.

  • Medical degree: 5.5 years at university/higher education
  • General internship (AT): About 1.5–2 years
  • Specialist training (ST) in rheumatology: About 5 years
  • Licensing: Medical license from the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) is required
  • Continued professional development: Courses, conferences, and sometimes research

Common benefits and compensations

Rheumatologists are often offered comprehensive benefits such as occupational pension, generous vacation agreements, flexible working hours, and opportunities for professional development. Other common compensations include wellness allowances, subsidized health insurance, and sometimes bonuses or extra pay for on-call duties. Opportunities for research or educational assignments may also be available.

Competition and challenges

The demand for rheumatologists is high, and the job market is characterized by recruitment difficulties, especially outside metropolitan areas. At the same time, the workload can be heavy with long patient queues, complex investigations, and ongoing professional development requirements. Balancing clinical work with research and administrative tasks can be challenging. Despite this, unemployment in the profession is very low, and many employers compete for the expertise with attractive offers. Success requires both medical expertise and good teamwork skills, as patient care often involves multidisciplinary teams with other specialists and healthcare staff.

Tips for those who want to become a rheumatologist

To succeed as a rheumatologist, it’s good to be curious and engaged in understanding complex disease patterns, as many patients have diffuse or rare symptoms. A structured approach helps in diagnosing and monitoring chronic conditions, while communication skills are crucial for building trust and supporting patients who often live with chronic pain. Patience and empathy facilitate interactions with patients whose treatment may require long-term management and careful follow-up. It’s also wise to seek mentorship early in your career and actively participate in continuing education and networking. Finally, analytical ability and interest in research are valued, as the profession often involves engaging with or contributing to new medical findings.

Key facts about rheumatologists

  • Education level: Medical degree + specialist training (at least 12 years total)
  • Professional group: Specialist doctor
  • Work environment: Hospitals, specialist clinics, sometimes research
  • Demand: Very high, especially outside major cities
  • Job vacancies: 371 within the profession in Sweden

Career paths and future prospects

After three to five years as a rheumatologist, there are good opportunities for further development, such as becoming a medical director, researcher, or educator in the field. Some choose to specialize further in specific disease groups or combine clinical work with research. Forecasts from the Swedish Public Employment Service indicate that the opportunities for employment as a specialist doctor, and thus rheumatologist, are very good nationwide and expected to increase further over the next five years. The recruitment situation is characterized by a paradox – difficulty in recruiting while some leave the profession or work part-time, which drives up demand. The profession thus offers both security and development opportunities for those wanting to work long-term in specialized care.

Common questions about rheumatologists

  • What does a rheumatologist earn?
    - A rheumatologist has an average salary of 98 000 SEK per month. The highest salary is 110,600 SEK and the lowest is 84,600 SEK, depending on gender and sector.
  • How do you become a rheumatologist?
    - A medical degree, general internship (AT), and specialist training (ST) in rheumatology are required.
  • What is the job market like for rheumatologists?
    - The job market is very good with high demand and over 370 available positions within the profession.
  • Where do rheumatologists work?
    - Most work at hospital rheumatology clinics or within specialized outpatient clinics, sometimes also involved in research.
  • Are there gender differences in salary?
    - Yes, women earn on average 99% of what men do within the profession.
  • How long is the training to become a rheumatologist?
    - The total training time is about 12 years after high school, including medical degree, AT, and ST.
  • What personal qualities are important for a rheumatologist?
    - Analytical ability, empathy, patience, and good communication skills are valued qualities.

Richard Andersson

Richard Andersson - 2025-07-26 16:48:13

Occupation
Who has the highest salary?
The highest salary for a Rheumatologist is 117800 kr. This salary belongs to a man working in the Government sector with a postgraduate education. The highest salary for a woman in this profession is 102300 kr.
Who has the lowest salary?
The lowest salary for a Rheumatologist is 89800 kr. This salary belongs to a man working in the Privately employed officials. The lowest salary for a woman in this profession is 94100 kr.
Salary distributed by age and sector
Age Women's salary as a percentage of men's 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
* Empty columns indicate that the statistical data was insufficient to allow for a statistically significant conclusion.
Salary per sector
Salary based on education
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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 Rheumatologist has the SSYK code 2211, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.

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