Average Doctor Salaries by Specialty

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  • In 2023, the average salary for all U.S. physicians, including Primary Care Physicians and Specialists, was $363k.
  • The average doctor salary grew by approximately 3% from 2022 to 2023.
  • Orthopedics is currently the top-paying medical specialty, with an average annual salary of $558k.

[ READ NEXT: The Prerequisites for Medical School ]

The average salary of a doctor is an important consideration when deciding which medical field you want to specialize in or whether you want to pursue a medical degree. There are many factors to weigh when considering specialties, and understanding how much money different types of doctors make per year can help with financial planning and give you an estimate of when you can expect to pay off your medical school loans. This guide discusses the highest and lowest-paying salaries for doctors by specialty and which U.S. cities and states pay their doctors the best.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

According to the 2024 MedScape Physician Compensation Report, doctor salaries continue to rise. In 2023, Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) in the United States earned an average of $277,000, while Specialists earned an average of $394,000. However, the average income for a doctor varies widely depending on their specialty and where they live in the U.S. Below, we list the average annual compensation by medical specialty so you can see which types of doctors get paid the most – and the least.

[ RELATED: How Long Does It Take to Become a Doctor? ]

Average Annual Doctor Salary by Specialty

Here are the top-paying medical specialties, ranked by average annual income:

  1. Orthopedics: $558,000
  2. Plastic Surgery: $536,000
  3. Cardiology: $525,000
  4. Urology: $515,000
  5. Gastroenterology: $512,000
  6. Radiology: $498,000
  7. Dermatology: $479,000
  8. Anesthesiology: $472,000
  9. Oncology: $464,000
  10. Otolaryngology: $459,000
  11. Surgery, General: $423,000
  12. Ophthalmology: $409,000
  13. Critical Care: $401,000
  14. Pulmonary Medicine: $397,000
  15. Emergency Medicine: $379,000
  16. Pathology: $366,000
  17. Ob/Gyn: $352,000
  18. Neurology: $343,000
  19. Nephrology: $341,000
  20. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: $341,000
  21. Psychiatry: $323,000
  22. Allergy and Immunology: $307,000
  23. Rheumatology: $286,000
  24. Internal Medicine: $282,000
  25. Family Medicine: $272,000
  26. Public Health & Preventive Medicine: $263,000
  27. Infectious Diseases: $261,000
  28. Pediatrics: $260,000
  29. Diabetes and Endocrinology: $256,000

Source: MedScape Physician Compensation Report, 2024

Top 10 Earning States for Doctors

U.S. map showing the top earning states for physicians.

Here are the top 10 earning states in the U.S. for doctors:

  1. Wisconsin: $397,000
  2. Indiana: $372,000
  3. Georgia: $363,000
  4. Connecticut: $362,000
  5. Missouri: $361,000
  6. New Jersey: $360,000
  7. South Carolina: $360,000
  8. Florida: $359,000
  9. California: $358,000
  10. Michigan: $356,000

Source: MedScape Physician Compensation Report, 2023

Top Earning Metro Areas/Cities for Doctors

The numbers above represent state-wide averages. Average salaries for doctors in metropolitan areas tend to be higher. Here are the top 10 metro areas where doctors are paid the highest average annual salary:

  1. San Jose, CA: $474,977
  2. Los Angeles, CA: $448,121
  3. St. Louis, MO: $442,576
  4. Sacramento, CA: $440,004
  5. Minneapolis, MN: $438,756
  6. San Francisco, CA: $437,628
  7. Phoenix, AZ: $436,837
  8. San Diego, CA: $430,187
  9. Charlotte, NC: $429,566
  10.  Las Vegas, NV: $426,727

Source: Doximity 2024 Physician Compensation Report

Lowest Earning States for Doctors

U.S. map showing the lowest earning states for physicians.

Here are the lowest earning states in the U.S. ranked by income for doctors. 

  1. Maryland: $306,000
  2. Colorado: $327,000 
  3. Virginia: $330,000
  4. Massachusetts: $331,000
  5. Arizona: $334,000
  6. Washington: $338,000
  7. Tennessee: $340,000
  8. Pennsylvania: $344,000
  9. Alabama: $348,000
  10. New York: $348,000 
  11. Illinois: $350,000
  12. North Carolina: $350,000
  13. Texas: $353,000

Source: MedScape Physician Compensation Report, 2023

Lowest Earning Metro Areas/Cities for Doctors

Here are the ten lowest earning metro areas for doctors in the U.S.

  1. San Antonio, TX: $371,073
  2. Denver, CO: $371,215
  3. Washington, DC: $371,495
  4. Boston, MA: $378,273
  5. Nashville, TN: $380,533
  6. Baltimore, MD: $382,837
  7. Philadelphia, PA: $387,254
  8. Providence, RI: $390,096
  9. Virginia Beach, VA: $390,604
  10. Birmingham, AL: $391,290

Source: Doximity 2024 Physician Compensation Report

Medical Specialties With the Largest Increase in Compensation in 2023

While doctor salaries by specialty have risen overall, some specialties saw a particularly large increase in 2023. According to MedScape, four specialties have seen at least a 9% increase in compensation over the past year: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Neurology, Nephrology, and Allergy & Immunology. On the other hand, Plastic Surgery, which has previously been a top-paying specialty, saw the largest dip in pay with a 13% decrease in salary.

Physician Gender Pay Gap

A gender pay gap continues to exist in medicine, paralleling a national trend across all fields. In 2023, the overall gender pay gap for physicians decreased to 23%, a slight improvement from the 26% reported in 2022. However, the Doximity 2024 Physician Compensation Report reported that female physicians earned an average of $102,000 less than male physicians. 

In 2023, consistent with previous years, men have higher compensation than women in all specialties. The medical specialty with the largest gender pay gap is Orthopedic Surgery, with male physicians making an average of $661,801 compared to $559,222 for female physicians.

One positive trend is that some specialties are narrowing their gender pay gaps to less than 10%. Medical specialties with the smallest gender pay gaps include Medical Genetics, Hematology, Pediatric Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, and Oncology.

Preparing for Medical School

Becoming a doctor, regardless of specialty, is a multi-step process that typically begins in high school when you decide to attend an accredited university as a premed student. In order to get into medical school and eventually earn your medical license, you must first take premed classes during your undergraduate years and pass the MCAT. 

Earning a good score on the MCAT is a major achievement and a critical step on your journey to medical school. Enrolling in MCAT prep is a great way to boost your MCAT score and feel confident on test day. It’s important to practice for the exam with realistic MCAT practice tests so you feel prepared. Doing well on the MCAT will make your medical school application more competitive and increase your chances of getting into your top-choice medical school.

Quick Pop Quiz Featuring MCAT Practice Questions

The first step toward becoming a doctor is preparing for and passing the MCAT. Take our quick pop quiz to see how you would do on the MCAT.

Choosing a Medical Specialty

Although you likely won’t choose a specialty until you are well into medical school, you can take advantage of shadowing opportunities to not only gain clinical experience for your application to medical school but also to learn more about the specialties and get a feeling for the day-to-day life of various physicians. It’s important to note that the specialties listed above do not constitute an exhaustive list. The AAMC provides a full list of medical specialties on their website. The number of specialties and potential careers can be overwhelming at first. But as you continue on your journey to med school and residency, you’ll learn more about all of the various opportunities for a career in medicine and discover the type of doctor you want to be.

Medical Schools by Specialty

Learn about notable medical schools for each medical specialty by reviewing our guides.

Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Rich Maraggio, Executive Director, Pre-Health Programs at Kaplan North America. Rich has worked on the MCAT for over a decade and has assisted thousands of pre-med students. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Union College.





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