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Doctor Salary in the United States

How much does a Doctor make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Doctor in the United States is $240,209 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $115.

However, a Doctor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $282,075
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $224,519 to $262,123
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $210,234
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Doctor Salaries

A Doctor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Doctor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Doctor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $237,594
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $238,684
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $239,774
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $241,299
  • Expert (over 8 years): $245,381
Levels Salary
Entry Level Doctor$237,594
Intermediate Level Doctor$238,684
Senior Level Doctor$239,774
Specialist Level Doctor$241,299
Expert Level Doctor$245,381
View as Graph

How Do Doctor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Doctors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $265,959.
  • California: $264,951.
  • Massachusetts: $261,419.

Top Paying Cities for Doctors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $302,976
  • San Francisco: $299,658
  • Oakland: $293,343

What Skills Can Increase a Doctor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 4.16% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Medical Services (Mentioned in 4.42% Job Postings): A service that provides medical treatment to people within an area or country: In poorer countries without a reliable health service, 90% of care for people with Aids-related illnesses is carried out in the home. health services.
  • Medical Education (Mentioned in 2.94% Job Postings): Medical education is a course of study directed toward imparting knowledge and skills required for the prevention and treatment of diseases to persons seeking to become physicians.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 4.16%
Medical Services 4.42%
Medical Education 2.94%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Doctor's salary.

  • Emergency Medicine: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Critical Care: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Internal Medicine: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Emergency Medicine $254,622
6%
Critical Care $254,622
6%
Internal Medicine $252,219
5%
Get Latest Data

Doctor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Doctor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Doctor positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Doctor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Doctor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$360,314$173.050%
Biotechnology$288,251$139.020%

How Education impacts a Doctor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Doctors enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Doctor with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $225,884 and $241,944).

Doctor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Doctor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 1.3%
Associates 4.0%
Bachelors 4.0%
Masters 5.3%
Doctorate 85.3%
View as Graph

Doctor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Doctor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$224,519
Average $240,209/year
$262,123
$18,710
Average $20,017/month
$21,844
$4,318
Average $4,619/week
$5,041
$108
Average $115/hour
$126
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $262,123 $21,844 $5,041 $126
Average $240,209 $20,017 $4,619 $115
25th Percentile $224,519 $18,710 $4,318 $108

Most common benefits for Doctor

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Doctor

Here are companies hiring for Doctor and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Doctor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Doctor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Doctor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Doctor?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Doctor roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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