Physician Salary (United States)

United States physicians commonly earn around 230,000 to 400,000 dollars yearly depending on specialty, with primary care near the bottom and surgical specialties near the top.

Overview

These are indicative averages, not guarantees. Primary care physicians commonly land in the 230,000 to 270,000 range, while specialties like orthopedics, cardiology and several surgical fields can exceed 500,000. The path is long: four years of medical school, often with 200,000 dollars or more of debt, then three to seven years of low-paid residency. Geography matters, with rural and underserved areas sometimes paying premiums. Demand is structurally strong as the population ages, though burnout and consolidation into hospital systems reshape the profession. Figures here are approximate and shift year to year.