How much do doctors make?

Doctor salary 2026 · 10 occupations compared · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

There is no single doctor salary: BLS publishes pay for each type. Medians range from $210,040 to $496,010 a year (May 2025).


Cardiologists	$496,010	$107,190	$712,130	17,290	Doctoral or professional degree	+4.8%
Radiologists	$420,860	$89,010	$594,410	26,770	Doctoral or professional degree	+3.4%
Anesthesiologists	$391,490	$101,460	$557,130	38,760	Doctoral or professional degree	+3.6%
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric	$358,550	$84,170	$659,290	14,100	Doctoral or professional degree	+4.0%
Dermatologists	$328,730	$102,810	$578,560	11,370	Doctoral or professional degree	+6.8%
Obstetricians and Gynecologists	$292,910	$94,680	$437,300	21,260	Doctoral or professional degree	+1.7%
Psychiatrists	$281,870	$84,060	$446,520	27,980	Doctoral or professional degree	+7.2%
General Internal Medicine Physicians	$256,560	$73,570	$475,430	67,150	Doctoral or professional degree	+4.0%
Family Medicine Physicians	$244,180	$76,830	$428,550	107,510	Doctoral or professional degree	+3.3%
Pediatricians, General	$210,040	$91,470	$338,500	39,390	Doctoral or professional degree	+1.5%

BLS OEWS, May 2025 (released April 30, 2026); typical education and growth from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.

How the types of doctor compare

The occupations on this page share the same start: a bachelor's degree, four years of MD or DO school and national licensing exams. They split at residency, and that choice sets both pay and training time.

Primary care is the shortest path. Family medicine, general internal medicine and pediatrics have some of the shortest residencies. These doctors see the widest range of problems, build long-term relationships with patients and work mostly in clinics. Their pay is the lowest among the physicians compared here: pediatricians have a median of $210,040, family physicians $244,180, and general internists $256,560, the top of that group.

Hospital-based and procedure specialties usually take longer and pay more. Anesthesiologists have a median of $391,490, and radiologists $420,860, both after residencies longer than primary care. Cardiologists first finish internal medicine and then a fellowship; they have the highest median here at $496,010, according to BLS. Orthopedic surgeons earn a median of $358,550, after one of the longer surgical residencies.

In between are psychiatrists at $281,870, dermatologists at $328,730, and OB/GYNs at $292,910, with very different days: psychiatry is mostly office-based with high projected demand, dermatology mixes clinic visits with skin procedures, and OB/GYN involves delivery call around the clock.

Doctor salary by state

Median annual pay by type


Alabama	—	—	$209,490	$392,350	—	—
Alaska	—	—	$267,390	$239,200+	$342,170	—
Arizona	—	—	$233,950	$239,200+	$249,720	$470,640
Arkansas	—	—	$160,440	—	$124,750	$75,600
California	—	—	$214,140	—	$353,500	$270,560
Colorado	—	—	$196,440	—	$266,370	$344,270
Connecticut	—	—	$216,830	$481,820	$326,670	$191,990
Delaware	—	—	$219,190	—	$279,410	$239,200+
District of Columbia	—	—	$79,240	$202,570	$183,080	$182,450
Florida	—	—	$182,010	$465,370	$316,200	$417,690
Georgia	—	—	$149,990	$230,000	$237,480	$335,190
Hawaii	—	—	$197,090	—	$289,990	$239,200+
Idaho	—	—	$297,680	$449,990	$75,470	—
Illinois	—	—	$196,760	—	$258,740	$239,200+
Indiana	—	—	$177,300	$394,060	$284,110	$430,640
Iowa	—	—	$262,440	$239,200+	$295,270	$405,220
Kansas	—	—	$209,840	$437,030	$278,100	$179,990
Kentucky	—	—	$175,690	$347,960	$237,770	$279,990
Louisiana	—	—	$502,720	$410,500	$345,040	—
Maine	—	—	$245,920	$239,200+	$300,180	$555,750
Maryland	—	—	$181,640	$418,010	$305,320	$581,510
Massachusetts	—	—	$221,170	—	—	$426,560
Michigan	—	—	$204,690	—	$291,850	$485,920
Minnesota	—	—	$226,660	$496,510	$336,410	$708,340
Mississippi	—	—	$183,650	—	$213,680	—
Missouri	—	—	$223,910	$239,200+	$312,680	—
Montana	—	—	$273,260	$239,200+	—	$360,330
Nebraska	—	—	$175,990	$334,210	$135,180	—
Nevada	—	—	—	$239,200+	$210,030	$386,210
New Hampshire	—	—	$273,410	$481,640	$246,140	$506,010
New Jersey	—	—	$201,560	—	$194,070	$482,700
New Mexico	—	—	$202,390	$393,970	$227,730	$96,170
New York	—	—	$212,150	$445,660	$265,890	$441,580
North Carolina	—	—	$183,550	$239,200+	$168,880	—
North Dakota	—	—	$234,950	$239,200+	—	$553,140
Ohio	—	—	$217,970	$490,530	$244,990	$260,000
Oklahoma	—	—	$236,780	—	$271,640	—
Oregon	—	—	$224,690	$239,200+	$314,880	$239,200+
Pennsylvania	—	—	$226,440	$461,390	$278,970	$455,380
Rhode Island	—	—	$218,080	$239,200+	$287,610	—
South Carolina	—	—	$217,120	$238,970	$237,250	$174,480
South Dakota	—	—	$257,610	$239,200+	$226,180	$586,010
Tennessee	—	—	$176,210	$330,620	$214,880	—
Texas	—	—	$173,360	$215,230	$228,460	$319,320
Utah	—	—	$210,360	$239,200+	$299,670	$417,250
Vermont	—	—	$215,350	$434,780	$302,770	—
Virginia	—	—	$195,940	$488,310	$295,010	$376,270
Washington	—	—	$169,540	$499,990	$304,920	$239,200+
West Virginia	—	—	$158,470	—	$63,320	$471,650
Wisconsin	—	—	$269,790	$443,990	$331,070	$392,610
Wyoming	—	—	—	—	—	$161,750

Median annual pay by state, BLS OEWS, May 2025. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. Each occupation’s own page has its full state table with cost-of-living-adjusted pay.

What doctors do

A doctor, or physician, diagnoses and treats illness and injury and helps patients stay healthy. Physicians take histories, examine patients, order and read tests, prescribe medicines, perform procedures and decide when someone needs a specialist or a hospital bed. They hold either an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Both degrees lead to the same licenses and residencies; DO training puts extra emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and whole-person care.

There is no single doctor job. Family physicians and internists see a broad mix of patients in clinics and manage long-term conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Pediatricians care for children. Specialists focus on one area: cardiologists on the heart, radiologists on imaging, anesthesiologists on keeping patients safe during surgery, psychiatrists on mental illness. Most physicians work in group practices or hospital systems, lead teams of nurses, physician assistants and medical assistants, and spend a large share of each day documenting care. Long shifts, nights and call are common.

A typical day

See scheduled patients, take a history and examine them
Order lab tests and imaging, and review results as they come back
Make a diagnosis and explain the treatment plan in plain language
Write and adjust prescriptions, and manage chronic conditions over many visits
Perform procedures, from joint injections to surgery, depending on specialty
Document every visit in the electronic health record and answer patient messages
Take call for nights and weekends, and consult with other physicians on shared patients

Also called: physician, doctors, physicians, board certified family physician, family medicine physician, family physician, family practice medical doctor (fp md), family practice physician (fp physician).

How to become a doctor

Full guide

To become a doctor, you earn a bachelor's degree, complete four years of MD or DO medical school, pass the USMLE or COMLEX licensing exams, and finish a residency of 3 to 9 years before practicing with a state license. That means at least 11 years after high school for most people.

Typical time: 11-15 years; Fastest: About 9 years
Minimum education: MD from an LCME-accredited medical school or DO from a COCA-accredited college of osteopathic medicine, plus ACGME-accredited residency training
License: Required in all 50 states and DC
Typical training cost: $194K–$254K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a doctor: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 11-15 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $194K–$254K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $244,180; $193,200 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 80–104%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($193,200 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in about 1.0–1.3 years after training ends (11-15 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for doctors

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +3.3%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 114,300; 118,000 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 2,900; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 3.8%; Not in the pay figures above

For family medicine physicians, BLS projects employment to rise from 114,300 to 118,000 between 2025 and 2035, a 3.3% increase, close to the 3.5% average for all jobs, with about 2,900 openings a year. Across all physicians and surgeons, BLS projects 4% growth. The demand drivers are an aging population that needs more complex care and rising rates of chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. BLS expects growing demand for psychiatric care to support psychiatrist jobs, while a shrinking child population may hold down demand for pediatricians.

Outlook shown for family medicine physicians; each type’s growth is in the table at the top.

Related careers and their pay

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Doctor salary FAQ

Which type of doctor makes the most money?

Among the physician occupations BLS reports separately, cardiologists have the highest median pay, followed by radiologists, anesthesiologists and orthopedic surgeons. These are procedure-heavy or hospital-based specialties with long training. Primary care doctors, including family physicians, general internists and pediatricians, earn the lowest medians. Pay within any specialty still varies widely with location, practice ownership and hours.

What is the difference between an MD and a DO?

Both are fully licensed physicians who can prescribe, operate and practice in any specialty. MD schools are accredited by the LCME and graduates take the USMLE; DO schools are accredited by the COCA and graduates take COMLEX-USA. BLS notes that DOs place extra emphasis on the musculoskeletal system, prevention and whole-person care. Since 2020, both train in the same ACGME-accredited residencies, and DOs are especially common in primary care.

How many hours do doctors work?

Most physicians work full time, and BLS reports that some work more than 40 hours a week. Long shifts, overnight work and being on call are common, especially in hospital specialties, surgery and obstetrics. While on call, a doctor may need to answer patient calls or come in for an emergency. Office-based fields such as dermatology and many outpatient practices tend to have more predictable schedules.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 29-1215
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (29-1215.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Physicians and Surgeons, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
MCAT Scheduling Fees, Association of American Medical Colleges · checked October 28, 2026
United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), NBME · checked October 28, 2026
Step 1 pass/fail score reporting implementation date, USMLE · checked October 28, 2026
Medicine (MD) Cost of Attendance 2026-27, University of Nebraska Medical Center · checked October 28, 2026
About the LCME, Liaison Committee on Medical Education · checked October 28, 2026
Osteopathic Medical Schools, American Osteopathic Association · checked October 28, 2026
COMLEX-USA, National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners · checked October 28, 2026
Residency Applicants, National Resident Matching Program · checked October 28, 2026
ACGME, AOA, and AACOM Usher in New Era of Single Accreditation for Graduate Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education · checked October 28, 2026
Board Certification, American Board of Medical Specialties · checked October 28, 2026
Considering a Combined Degree: MD-PhD, MD-MBA, MD-MPH, MD-JD, Association of American Medical Colleges · checked October 28, 2026
When is the Right Time to Take the MCAT Exam? Three Questions to Ask Yourself., Association of American Medical Colleges · checked October 28, 2026

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