Average Starting Salary for US Physicians (2023 Medscape Data)
Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2023: Average starting salary = $201,000 (all specialties, employed positions).
By Specialty (Starting / Early Career)
| Specialty | Starting Salary | Overall Average (All Yrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedics | $511,000 | $558,000 |
| Plastic Surgery | $460,000 | $576,000 |
| Cardiology | $449,000 | $507,000 |
| Gastroenterology | $420,000 | $489,000 |
| Radiology | $401,000 | $456,000 |
| Urology | $395,000 | $461,000 |
| Dermatology | $382,000 | $438,000 |
| Anesthesiology | $364,000 | $421,000 |
| General Surgery | $336,000 | $402,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $320,000 | $352,000 |
| Internal Medicine | $225,000 | $264,000 |
| Family Medicine | $208,000 | $255,000 |
| Pediatrics | $201,000 | $244,000 |
| Psychiatry | $221,000 | $287,000 |
Key Modifiers
- Geography: South/Midwest > Northeast/West (cost-of-living adjusted).
- Practice Type: Hospital-employed > Private practice (early); Partnership track > Employee long-term.
- Academic vs. Community: Academic base lower; RVU bonuses, grants supplement.
- Signing Bonuses: $20k–$100k+ common in high-demand specialties/regions.
- Loan Repayment: NHSC, state programs, employer contributions ($50k–$200k).
Data Source
Medscape survey 10,000+ physicians (Oct 2022–Jan 2023). "Starting" = first 1–3 years post-training.
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