Physician Salary Survey Data

When it comes to physician salaries, "General Hospital" isn't just a daytime soap; according to PayScale's physician salary surveys, physicians working in a general hospital setting are among the highest paid in the industry. In fact, the physician salary chart above shows that hospital setting is a factor that can greatly affect physician salaries. Data from physician salary surveys reveals that, for the average physician, salaries vary more by hospital setting than they do by city or state. For those who are dreaming of eventually becoming doctors, many other questions tend to arise regarding physician salaries. How are physician salaries affected by type of employer? Which tends to be higher, a neurologist salary or a family physician salary? What effect does experience have on a physician salary range? The answers to these questions and more can all be found using PayScale's physician salary survey data.

Physician Salary Surveys by Employer Type show that median physician salaries are higher for doctors working at hospitals than for those who work at colleges or universities. Comparing Physician Salaries by Specialty, we can see that the median yearly salary for pediatrician is around $120,000, while the median family physician salary is around $135,000. If you're looking for the highest physician salaries by specialty, an anesthesiologist's and surgeon's salary are in first and second place on the list of median physician salaries. Whether you measure physician salaries by specialty, employment setting or other factors, experience will always have an impact on a physician salary range. While physician salaries tend to start out high, the median Physician Salary by Years Experience chart shows that physician salaries can increase significantly over the course of 20 years.

Physician Salaries by Location

No matter which specialty a physician chooses, he or she will also have to choose a place in which to live and work. Looking at Physician Salary Survey Data by State shows that Pennsylvania currently has the highest median physician salary. However, on the Physician Salary by City chart, Atlanta is in the top spot for physician salaries. When researching physician salaries by location, it's important to factor in cost of living. Use PayScale's Cost of Living Calculator to find both Cost of Living and Physician Salary Data for different U.S. cities.

Average Physician Salaries

Dr. Salary may not work in a hospital, but when it comes to physician salaries, you won't need a second opinion on his advice. Learn why asking, "what is the median salary for physicians" is a better question than, "what are average physician salaries" in the Ask Dr. Salary article, "Why is Median Better than Mean for a Typical Salary?"