The 10 highest-paying physician specialties in the last 5 years

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Orthopedics and plastic surgery have traded the top two spots in Medscape’s annual Physician Compensation Report every year since 2021, with orthopedics seeing compensation climb by more than $80,000 over that span. 

Orthopedic surgeons now command an average of $611,000 annually, up 20% from five years ago, while plastic surgeons earn $554,000. 

2025

  • Orthopedics and orthopedic surgery: $611,000
  • Cardiology: $575,000
  • Radiology: $571,000
  • Plastic surgery: $554,000
  • Anesthesiology: $543,000
  • Urology: $535,000
  • Gastroenterology: $530,000
  • Otolaryngology: $508,000
  • Oncology and hematology: $464,000
  • Dermatology: $448,000

2024

  • Orthopedic and orthopedic surgery: $543,000 
  • Radiology: $520,000 
  • Plastic surgery: $516,000
  • Cardiology: $506,000
  • Anesthesiology: $499,000
  • Gastroenterology: $495,000
  • Urology: $485,000  
  • Otolaryngology: $473,000
  • Oncology and hematology: $452,000
  • Dermatology: $424,000

2023

  • Orthopedics (includes orthopedics and orthopedic surgery): $558,000
  • Plastic surgery: $536,000
  • Cardiology: $525,000
  • Urology: $515,000
  • Gastroenterology: $512,000
  • Radiology: $498,000
  • Dermatology: $479,000
  • Anesthesiology: $472,000
  • Oncology (includes hematology and oncology): $464,000

2022

  • Plastic surgery: $576,000 
  • Orthopedics: $557,000 
  • Cardiology: $490,000 
  • Otolaryngology: $469,000
  • Urology: $461,000 
  • Gastroenterology: $453,000 
  • Dermatology: $438,000 
  • Radiology: $437,000 
  • Ophthalmology: $417,000 

2021

  • Plastic surgery: $526,000
  • Orthopedics and orthopedic surgery: $511,000
  • Cardiology: $459,000
  • Urology: $427,000
  • Otolaryngology: $417,000
  • Radiology: $413,000
  • Gastroenterology: $406,000
  • Oncology: $403,000
  • Dermatology: $394,000
  • Ophthalmology: $379,000

At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

Is ambulatory care healthcare’s big margin engine? 4 leaders weigh in

Wednesday, July 29
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Joe Ganley, athenahealthJeffrey Flynn, CASC, Gramercy Surgery CenterBryan Tsao, Access Center, Loma Linda University HealthJason Zepeda, Northridge Hospital Medical Center, CommonSpirit HealthGreg DeConciliis, PA-C, CASC, Boston Out­Patient Surgical Suites

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