US PHYSICIAN SALARY
According to the authoritative medical resource Medscape, currently the highest-paid medical profession in the United States is a specialist in plastic surgery, who on average earns $526,000 a year. Orthopaedic surgery ($511,000) and cardiology ($459,000) follow. Note that a doctor is the highest paid profession in the United States.
According to official data from the American Bureau of Labour Statistics, the average annual salary of medical practitioners and medical technicians in the United States (registered nurses, physicians, surgeons and dental hygienists) is about $84,430. The highest annual income is recorded for anaesthetists – $271,440. Meanwhile, across all occupations as a whole, the average salary in the US in 2024 is $59,520.
No. | Speciality | Dollars per year | Dollars per month |
1. | Anaesthesiologists | 271,440 | 22,620 |
2. | Surgeons (except ophthalmologists) | 251,650 | 20,970 |
3. | Obstetricians and gynaecologists | 239,120 | 19,925 |
4. | Orthodontists | 237,990 | 19,830 |
5. | Oral and maxillofacial surgeons | 234,990 | 19,580 |
6. | Psychiatrists | 217,100 | 27,100 |
7. | Orthopaedists | 214,870 | 17,905 |
8. | Family medicine doctors | 214,370 | 17,865 |
9. | Nurse anaesthetists | 189,190 | 15,765 |
10. | Dentists | 186,300 | 15,525 |
11. | Paediatricians | 184,570 | 15,380 |
12. | Pharmacists | 125,460 | 10,455 |
13. | Optometrists | 125,440 | 10,455 |
14. | Nurse-midwives | 115,540 | 9,630 |
15. | Nurse Practitioners | 114,510 | 9,545 |
16. | Veterinarians | 108,350 | 9,030 |
17. | Acupuncturists | 97,270 | 8,105 |
18. | Radiation therapists | 94,300 | 7,860 |
19. | Physiotherapists | 91,680 | 7,640 |
20. | Audiologists | 89,230 | 7,435 |
21. | Occupational therapists | 87,480 | 7,290 |
22. | Practitioners and technical professions | 85,900 | 7,160 |
23. | Chiropractors | 83,830 | 6,985 |
24. | Speech pathologists | 83,240 | 6,935 |
25. | Therapists | 82,030 | 6,835 |
26. | Registered nurses | 80,010 | 6,670 |
27. | Dental hygienists | 78,050 | 6,505 |
28. | Respiratory therapists | 65,640 | 5,470 |
29. | Dietitians | 64,150 | 5,345 |
30. | Hearing aid specialists | 54,630 | 4,555 |
31. | Physiotherapy assistants and assistants | 52,400 | 4,370 |
32. | Recreational therapists | 51,260 | 4,270 |
33. | Health care technologists and technicians | 48,990 | 4,085 |
34. | Massage therapists | 47,350 | 3,945 |
35. | Dental assistants | 42,310 | 3,525 |
36. | Phlebotomists | 37,280 | 3,105 |
37. | Paramedics | 36,930 | 3,080 |
38. | Nursing assistants | 32,050 | 2,670 |
39. | Orderlies | 31,780 | 2,650 |
Note. Information on physician salaries in the United States is based on official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics.
The wage gap between male and female physicians in the United States persists. Men working as primary care physicians earn about 27% more than women ($269,000 vs. $211,000 per year). Surprisingly, physicians practising in states such as Alabama and Kentucky have the highest incomes, while medical professionals in New York State and Minnesota earn the least.
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