Doctor Jobs: The Best Paying and the Worst Paying

According to the Medscape Physician Compensation 2019 report [1], the average salary for physicians rose to $313,000. Doctors have a reputation for bringing in the big bucks, but not all doctor jobs are created equal. Some specialties are famous for paying huge salaries while other might pay well, but perhaps be on the lower end of the pay-scale. If you’re looking to get into the medical profession or are just curious to see how much these jobs pay out on average, we’ve created a list of the best and worst paying jobs in the medical profession. Read on to learn more about different medical professions and their associated incomes.

Best Paying Doctor Jobs

Orthopedic Surgeon. Average annual income: $519,000 [2]

Orthopedic Surgeons handle surgeries that involve the musculoskeletal system. They treat a range of disorders, including sports injuries, tumors, infections of the bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints, and other connective tissue. They also make on average an exorbitant amount of money. For good reason, too. Many of these surgeries are complicated and require long hours of intense work. As a result, even if they make a lot of money, the benefits of the pay might not always outweigh the more difficult aspects of the job.

Dermatologists Average annual income: $419,000 [3]

Dermatologists treat a range of conditions having to do with the skin. Among the disorders they might treat are skin cancer, rosacea, psoriasis, acne, and vitiligo. [4] In addition, they may also treat hair and nail disorders. As the practice of dermatology requires an in-depth knowledge of various clinical problems and symptoms, it is a career that tends to pay a large salary. As a result, it is at the top of our list for best paying doctor jobs.

Anesthesiologists. Average annual income: $392,000 [5]

Anesthesiologists help ensure the safety of patients undergoing surgery by applying anesthesia to prevent the pain and distress they would otherwise experience. Working inside and outside of the operating room, anesthesiologists monitor patients’ health before, during, and after surgery and prescribe medication as needed. Anesthesiologists need to be able to make precise measurements to ensure their patients’ safety, and they may also be required to make quick decisions under pressure if any of their patients experience unexpected reactions to the anesthesia or the surgery. This high level of responsibility justifies the high pay.

Worst Paying Doctor Jobs

Internal Medicine. Average annual income: $218,636 [6]

The focus of internal medicine physicians is on disease prevention and injury care, as well as diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. They may also refer their patients to specialists, as they tend to be more general physicians who see patients for a wide range of symptoms. At $218,636 per year, typically ranging between $196,982 and $248,460, the average annual income of internal medicine physicians is not bad, by any means. That being said, among doctors, their compensation is considered to be on the lower side.

Public Health & Preventive Medicine. Average annual income: $209,000 [7]

Money isn’t everything. Public Health and Preventive Medicine Physicians may make the least amount of money per year as compared to every other type of doctor, and yet, they also report being among one of the most happy groups of doctors. As the 2018 Medscape Public Health and Preventive Medicine Physician Compensation report explains, despite their low earnings, PH/PM physicians mostly feel satisfied with their job and compensation.

Pediatrics. Average annual income: $170,560 [8]

Among the lowest paid doctors are pediatricians, whose salaries ranged from $126,690 to $208,000 in 2018, according to U.S. News. This is a far cry from the many more hundreds of thousands of dollars made by Orthopedic Surgeons at the top of our list. So if you are a doctor or looking to become one, and you want your focus to be on treating children, just be aware that you may make less money than other doctors.

Shocked by this data? A quick online search is certain to reveal many more surprises about the various salaries earned by doctors.