US Physician Salary 2023: Medians by Specialty, Geography & Experience

Medscape 2023 / BLS May 2022 data:

Overall

• Median: $352,000 (Medscape) / $208,000 (BLS — includes residents, part-time, all specialties).
• Range: $200K (pediatrics) → $750K+ (neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, cardiology).

By Specialty (Medscape 2023 Mean)

Highest	Mean	Lowest	Mean
Plastic Surgery	$619K	Pediatrics	$244K
Orthopedics	$573K	Family Medicine	$255K
Cardiology	$507K	Public Health/Preventive	$249K
Urology	$500K	Diabetes/Endocrinology	$257K
Gastroenterology	$487K	Infectious Disease	$260K

Geographic Multipliers

• Highest: North Central ($370K), Southeast ($360K) — lower cost of living, high demand.
• Lowest: Northeast ($330K), Northwest ($320K) — saturated markets, academic centers.
• Rural > Urban (by 10–15%) due to shortages + incentives.

Other Drivers

• Experience: 0–5 yr: $250K; 10–20 yr: $350K; 20+ yr: $400K+.
• Employer: Hospital-employed > private practice (overhead 50–60%); academic < community.
• Ownership: Partners > employees; ASC ownership adds facility fees.
• Side income: Expert witness, consulting, speaking, medical directorships, telemedicine.

Gender Gap

Female physicians earn ~25% less (adjusted: 15–18%) — specialty choice, hours, negotiation, bias.