Physicians

Physicians have among the highest average earnings of any occupational group. The level of income for any individual physician depends on a number of factors, such as region of the country, economic status of the patients, and the physician's specialty, skill, experience, professional reputation, and personality. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, mean annual earnings for all physicians were $263,840 in May 2023, with lowest 10 percent earning $66,260. General family physicians working in a physician's office, versus in academia or at a hospital, earned a median total compensation of $247,040. Physicians with a specialty can earn much higher annual incomes—from $300,000 to more than $500,000 a year. Cardiologists held the highest mean annual earnings in 2023, at $423,250, followed by radiologists, $353,960; general surgeons, $348,890; anesthesiologists, $339,470; and dermatologists, $342,860;

Salaried doctors usually receive benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, and the opportunity to participate in retirement plans. Self-employed physicians usually have higher median incomes than salaried doctors, although they are also responsible for covering the costs of their health insurance and retirement. Self-employed physicians must provide their own benefits.