What is the average doctor salary?

The average physician salary in the US is $229,000 for primary care and $345,000 for specialists. Surgical specialties like orthopedics and neurosurgery earn $550,000-$750,000.

What type of doctor makes the most money?

Neurosurgeons ($746,000), orthopedic surgeons ($624,000), and plastic surgeons ($571,000) are the highest-paid physicians. Cardiologists ($512,000) and gastroenterologists ($495,000) are the top-earning non-surgical specialists.

How Much Do Doctors Make in 2026? (Physician Salary by Specialty)

Doctors earn $229,000-$550,000+ depending on specialty — making medicine one of the highest-paying professions in the US.

Average Doctor Salary in 2026

Category	Average Salary
Primary Care	$229,000
All Specialists	$345,000
Surgical Specialists	$490,000
Overall Average	$299,000

Physician Salary by Specialty

Highest Paying Specialties

Specialty	Average Salary	Years Training
Neurosurgery	$746,000	7
Thoracic Surgery	$680,000	6-7
Orthopedic Surgery	$624,000	5
Plastic Surgery	$571,000	6
Vascular Surgery	$565,000	5-7
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery	$538,000	4-6
Cardiology (Interventional)	$512,000	6-7
Gastroenterology	$495,000	6
Urology	$472,000	5-6
Dermatology	$455,000	4

Mid-Range Specialties

Specialty	Average Salary	Years Training
Radiology	$427,000	5
Anesthesiology	$405,000	4
General Surgery	$402,000	5
Emergency Medicine	$350,000	3-4
Pulmonology	$342,000	6
Oncology	$377,000	6
Nephrology	$311,000	6
Ophthalmology	$366,000	4
Psychiatry	$287,000	4

Primary Care Specialties

Specialty	Average Salary	Years Training
Family Medicine	$236,000	3
Internal Medicine	$264,000	3
Pediatrics	$244,000	3
Obstetrics/Gynecology	$310,000	4
Hospitalist	$278,000	3
Geriatrics	$245,000	4

Doctor Salary by State

State	Primary Care	Specialist	vs. National
Wisconsin	$264,000	$400,000	+15%
Indiana	$261,000	$395,000	+14%
Alabama	$258,000	$390,000	+13%
Oklahoma	$255,000	$385,000	+11%
Michigan	$252,000	$380,000	+10%
California	$240,000	$360,000	+5%
Texas	$245,000	$365,000	+7%
New York	$238,000	$355,000	+4%
Florida	$235,000	$350,000	+2%
Massachusetts	$225,000	$340,000	-2%

Rural and underserved areas often pay 10-20% above average.

Doctor Salary by Employment Type

Employment Type	Primary Care	Specialist
Hospital-employed	$250,000	$375,000
Private practice (owner)	$275,000	$450,000
Academic medicine	$200,000	$310,000
Locum tenens	$275,000	$400,000
Government/VA	$220,000	$320,000
Kaiser/Large HMO	$260,000	$380,000

Path to Becoming a Doctor

Stage	Duration	Cost
Bachelor’s degree	4 years	$50,000-$200,000
Medical school	4 years	$200,000-$350,000
Residency	3-7 years	$60,000-$75,000/year salary
Fellowship (optional)	1-3 years	$75,000-$90,000/year salary
Total time	11-15+ years	—
Average debt	—	$203,000

Doctor Salary During Training

Training Level	Average Salary
Medical Student	$0 (accumulating debt)
Intern (PGY-1)	$63,000
Resident (PGY-2 to PGY-5)	$65,000-$80,000
Fellow	$75,000-$95,000

Residents work 60-80 hours/week, making their hourly rate approximately $15-20/hour.

Doctor Salary After Taxes

Gross Salary	Federal Tax	FICA	State Tax	Take-Home
$229,000	$47,000	$11,773	$11,450	$158,777
$345,000	$82,000	$11,773	$17,250	$233,977
$500,000	$135,000	$11,773	$30,000	$323,227
$750,000	$220,000	$11,773	$52,500	$465,727

Doctor Salary Over Career

Career Stage	Primary Care	Specialist
Training (11-15 years)	$0-$80,000	$0-$95,000
First attending year	$220,000	$350,000
Peak earning (10+ years out)	$280,000	$500,000+
Career earnings	$8-10M	$15-25M

Despite late start, physicians still accumulate substantial wealth over their careers.

Is Medicine Worth It Financially?

Comparing to other high-earning careers:

Career	Avg Salary	Education	Debt	Start Earning
Doctor	$299,000	11-15 years	$203,000	Age 30-34
Lawyer (BigLaw)	$215,000	7 years	$130,000	Age 25
Software Engineer	$130,000	4 years	$30,000	Age 22
Investment Banking	$175,000	4-6 years	$50,000	Age 22-24

Doctors catch up financially around age 40-45 despite the late start.

How to Maximize Doctor Earnings

Choose a high-paying specialty — Surgical specialties pay 2-3x primary care
Work in underserved areas — Rural bonuses of 10-20%
Locum tenens — Fill temporary positions for premium rates
Private practice ownership — More risk but higher upside
Side gigs — Expert witness, consulting, telehealth
Negotiate — Physician salaries are often negotiable

Is Medicine a Good Career?

Pros:

Very high income potential
Job security
Helping patients
Intellectual stimulation
Respected profession

Cons:

Very long training (11-15+ years)
High student debt
Burnout risk (50%+ of physicians)
Administrative burden
Late start to earning

Bottom Line

Doctors earn $229,000-$750,000 depending on specialty, with surgical specialists earning the most. The path is long (11-15 years) and expensive ($200,000+ in debt), but medicine offers exceptional job security and lifetime earnings potential of $8-25 million.

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