Medical Doctor Salary: What You’ll Make and Why
Medical doctors make around $158,577 to $218,818 on average in the US, depending on experience, location, skills, and other factors.
According to various salary aggregate websites, a medical doctor’s average salary in the US ranges between $158,577 and $218,818. As of March 2022, the average base salaries for medical doctors are as follows:
| Payscale | ZipRecruiter | Indeed | Salary.com | Glassdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $158,577 | $210,403 | $218,818 | $190,229 | $214,924 |
Keep in mind: Salary aggregate websites typically rely on data submitted anonymously by individuals using their site. Some websites may have received larger amounts of data of either higher or lower than average salaries, which may affect the site’s calculated average.
Read more: What Is a Medical Doctor? How to Become One
What influences a salary?
Your salary as a medical doctor will be determined by a number of factors, including your specialty, geographic location, and years of experience. Here’s a closer look at how these factors impact your earnings.
Years of experience
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a medical doctor, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your medical doctor salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $105,815 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $159,268 |
| Mid career (5 to 9 years) | $192,127 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $251,470 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $353,802 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a medical doctor. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average medical doctor salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | $285,647 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $250,695 |
| Seattle, WA | $246,693 |
| Tampa Bay, FL | $246,492 |
| Boston, MA | $244,978 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $198,100 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $194,701 |
| Columbus, OH | $193,958 |
| Detroit, MI | $190,779 |
| Miami, FL | $172,897 |
How does this compare to similar jobs?
Here’s how a medical doctor’s salary stacks up against similar jobs.
| Related Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Physician | $209,044 |
| Pediatrician | $177,345 |
| Surgeon | $248,104 |
| Psychiatrist | $266,474 |
| OB/GYN | $264,455 |
| Cardiologist | $309,507 |
| Anesthesiologist | $347,662 |
| Radiologist | $324,041 |
How to increase your medical doctor salary
Now that you have a better idea of what you could expect to earn as a medical doctor, let’s look at ways to boost your salary.
1. Strengthen your skills
Pursuing and improving in-demand skills could make you more competitive for promotions and higher-paying positions. These skills include:
- Anatomy: Understand the structure and function of the human body
- Physiology: Study how the body’s systems work together
- Biochemistry: Know the chemical reactions that take place in living organisms
- Pharmacology: Understand how drugs interact with the body to treat disease
- Clinical skills: Be able to take a patient history, perform a physical examination, and order and interpret diagnostic tests
2. Grow your network
As a medical doctor, you likely already have a strong network of colleagues and peers. But growing that network can also help improve your salary. Attend industry conferences, connect with other doctors on social media, and get involved in professional organizations. The more people you know, the more likely you are to hear about high-paying job openings.
3. Negotiate your job offer
When you’re offered a job, be sure to negotiate your salary. It’s common for employers to offer less than they’re willing to pay, so be prepared to haggle. You can also try to negotiate for other perks, like signing bonuses or extra vacation days.
Article Sources
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “National Compensation Survey, https://www.bls.gov/ncs/.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291215.htm.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
3. Payscale. “Physician / Doctor, General Practice Salary, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Physician_%2F_Doctor%2C_General_Practice/Salary.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
4. Ziprecruiter. “Medical Doctor Annual Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Medical-Doctor-Salary.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
5. Indeed. “Indeed Salary Finder, https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
6. Salary.com. “Medical Doctor Salary, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/hiring/medical-doctor-salary.” Accessed March 23, 2022.
7. Glassdoor. “Medical Doctor Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/medical-doctor-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm.” Accessed March 23, 2022.