Average physician compensation declined by 2.4 percent in 2022, compared to a 3.8 percent increase in 2021.
The 10 metropolitan areas with the highest average physician compensation:
- Charlotte, N.C.: $430,890
- St. Louis: $426,370
- Oklahoma City: $425,096
- San Jose, Calif.: $418,600
- Minneapolis: $411,677
- Sacramento, Calif.: $411,257
- Phoenix: $409,185
- Indianapolis: $408,199
- Salt Lake City: $408,044
- Atlanta: $407,863
The 10 metropolitan areas with the lowest average physician compensation:
- Washington, D.C.: $342,139
- Baltimore: $346,260
- Boston: $347,553
- San Antonio: $347,692
- Raleigh, N.C.: $351,732
- Providence, R.I.: $354,342
- Virginia Beach, Va.: $354,587
- Denver: $357,010
- Philadelphia: $358,443
- Birmingham, Ala.: $361,483
The specialties with the largest gender pay gap in 2023:
1. Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Average salary for men: $568,789
Average salary for women: $395,687
2. Urology
Average salary for men: $515,850
Average salary for women: $424,733
3. Ophthalmology
Average salary for men: $468,515
Average salary for women: $387,295
4. Allergy and immunology
Average salary for men: $329,634
Average salary for women: $268,938
5. Pediatric pulmonology
Average salary for men: $282,272
Average salary for women: $227,958
The average salary of physicians across 29 specialties, ranked from highest to lowest:
1. Plastic surgery: $619,000
2. Orthopedics: $573,000
3. Cardiology: $507,000
4. Urology: $506,000
5. Gastroenterology: $501,000
6. Otolaryngology: $485,000
7. Radiology: $483,000
8. Oncology: $463,000
9. Anesthesiology: $448,000
10. Dermatology: $443,000
11. Surgery (general): $412,000
12. Critical care: $406,000
13. Ophthalmology: $388,000
14. Pulmonary medicine: $378,000
15. Emergency medicine: $352,000
16. Pathology: $339,000
17. Obstetrics and gynecology: $337,000
18. Neurology: $313,000
19. Neprology: $312,000
20. Psychiatry: $309,000
21. Physical medicine and rehabilitation: $306,000
22. Allergy and immunology: $282,000
23. Rheumatology: $281,000
24. Internal medicine: $273,000
25. Diabetes and endocrinology: $267,000
26. Infectious diseases: $262,000
27. Family medicine: $255,000
28. Pediatrics: $251,000
29. Public health and preventive medicine: $249,000
The six specialties that saw a pay drop in 2023:
- Ophthalmology: 7 percent
- Emergency medicine: 6 percent
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation: 5 percent
- Nephrology: 5 percent
- Allergy and immunology: 5 percent
- Rheumatology: 3 percent
The 21 specialties that saw a pay jump in 2023:
- Oncology: 13 percent
- Gastroenterology: 11 percent
- Anesthesiology: 10 percent
- Radiology: 10 percent
- Critical care: 10 percent
- Urology: 10 percent
- Psychiatry: 8 percent
- Plastic surgery: 7 percent
- Pulmonary medicine: 7 percent
- Neurology: 4 percent
- Diabetes and endocrinology: 4 percent
- Internal medicine: 4 percent
- ENT: 4 percent
- Cardiology: 4 percent
- Orthopedics: 3 percent
- Pediatrics: 3 percent
- Public health and preventive medicine: 3 percent
- General surgery: 2 percent
- Pathology: 2 percent
- Dermatology: 1 percent
- Infectious diseases: 1 percent
Specialties that earn the highest incentive bonuses:
- Orthopedic surgeons: $134,000
- Cardiologists: $88,000
- Radiologists: $80,000
- General surgeons: $75,000
- Anesthesiologists: $68,000
- OB-GYNs: $57,000
- Emergency medicine physicians: $37,000
- Psychiatrists: $37,000
- Family medicine physicians: $34,000
- Internal medicine physicians: $33,000
- Pediatrics: $31,000
What employed and self-employed physicians make annually on average:
- Self-employed: $374,000
- Employed: $344,000
Physician compensation by race and ethnicity from lowest to highest:
- African American/Black: $311,000
- Latino/Hispanic: $338,000
- Asian American: $351,000
- Caucasian/White: $358,000
