Houston is the best-paying city for cardiologists with one to seven years of experience, according to Medscape’s salary explorer.
New cardiologists are coveted across the country; 62% of U.S. counties have no practicing cardiologist, a gap linked to significantly higher cardiovascular mortality, a 2023 study found.
A separate analysis from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2024 reported that nearly half of all counties — representing 22 million Americans — lack any cardiology coverage.
The shortage is driven by aging patient and physician populations, sicker patients, increasing complexity of care, greater regulatory burdens, burnout and growing hyperspecialization in the field, according to the ACC. In response, health systems are increasing six-figure salaries to early-career cardiologists in major cities across the country.
Here are the 10 best-paying cities for cardiologists with one to seven years of experience:
Detroit: $277,726
Houston: $329,148
Chicago: $326,612
Los Angeles: $315,403
San Francisco: $313,246
Philadelphia: $307,359
Raleigh, N.C.: $300,435
New York City: $259,969
Cleveland: $282,126
Washington, D.C.: $281,695
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