How much does a Chief Medical Examiner make?

As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Chief Medical Examiner in the United States is $326,548. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $277,685 to $388,728, with most professionals earning between $233,198 and $445,339.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Chief Medical Examiner Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $233,198 US March 01, 2025
25th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $277,685 US March 01, 2025
50th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $326,548 US March 01, 2025
75th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $388,728 US March 01, 2025
90th Percentile Chief Medical Examiner Salary $445,339 US March 01, 2025
25% $277,685 10% $233,198 90% $445,339 75% $388,728 $326,548 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Chief Medical Examiner ?

A medical examiner is an official trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests. In the US, there are two death investigation systems, the coroner system based on English law, and the medical examiner system, which evolved from the coroner system during the latter half of the 19th century. The type of system varies from municipality to municipality and from state to state, with over 2000 separate jurisdictions for investigating unnatural deaths. In 2002, 22...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Chief Medical Examiner

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Chief Medical Examiner


    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

  2. Up a level:

    Pathology Assistant

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Chief Medical Examiner, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
277685
388728
326548

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
283868
401023
334859
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Chief Medical Examiner in the United States. The base salary for Chief Medical Examiner ranges from $277,685 to $388,728 with the average base salary of $326,548. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $283,868 to $401,023 with the average total cash compensation of $334,859.

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277685
388728

 

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