Physician Earnings

Wages for physicians and surgeons are among the highest of all occupations. According to the Medical Group Management Association’s Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varies with their type of practice. In 2014, physicians practicing primary care received total median annual compensation of $241,273 and physicians practicing in medical specialties received total median annual compensation of $411,852.

Median annual compensations for selected specialties in 2014, as reported by the Medical Group Management Association, were as follows:

• Anesthesiology: $443,859
• General surgery: $395,456
• Obstetrics/gynecology: $317,496
• Internal medicine: $238,227
• Psychiatry: $245,673
• Pediatrics/adolescent medicine: $226,408
• Family practice (without obstetrics): $221,419

Earnings vary with the physician’s or surgeon’s number of years in practice, geographic region of practice, hours worked, skill, personality, and professional reputation.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition