Physician Starting Salaries by Specialty: 2018 vs. 2017
November 19, 2018
What
difference does a year make when it comes to average physician salary offers? It
depends on your area of specialty.
Merritt
Hawkins tracks recruiting trends including salaries, bonuses and other incentives
offered to physicians and advanced practitioner candidates on an annual basis.
Our latest report shows that just over half (11) of the top 20 recruited
specialties saw a dip in their average starting salaries compared to last year,
while the other nine saw an increase.
Now in
its 25th year, the 2018
Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives analyzed
3,045 recruiting assignments from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018.
This
national sample shows that invasive cardiologists were offered the highest
average physician salaries, at $590,000 for 2017/2018, which was up from an
average of $563,000 the previous year. The lowest average physician salaries among
the most-requested searches were paid to pediatricians, with an average salary
of $230,000, compared to an average of $240,000 the previous year.
Advanced
practitioners also saw a mixed bag of results: the average salary offered to
nurse practitioners for 2017/2018 was $129,000, which was an increase over the
previous year, while the average salary offered to physician assistants was
$109,000, which represented a decrease.
Average Physician Salaries: The Top
20 Recruited Specialties
This year-to-year comparison for the top 20
specialty searches conducted by Merritt Hawkins represent physician starting
salaries or guaranteed income only; these amounts do not include bonuses or
benefits.
| Medical Specialty | 2017/2018 Average Salary
Offer | 2016/2017 Average Salary
Offer |
|
1. Cardiologist (Invasive)
|
$590,000
|
$563,000
|
|
2. Orthopedic Surgeon
|
$533,000
|
$579,000
|
|
3. Gastroenterologist
|
$487,000
|
$492,000
|
|
4. Cardiologist (Non-invasive)
|
$427,000
|
$428,000
|
|
5. Dermatologist
|
$425,000
|
$421,000
|
|
6. Pulmonologist
|
$418,000
|
$390,000
|
|
7. Otolaryngologist
|
$405,000
|
$468,000
|
|
8. Urologist
|
$386,000
|
$460,000
|
|
9. Anesthesiologist
|
$371,000
|
$376,000
|
|
10. Emergency Medicine Physician
|
$358,000
|
$349,000
|
|
11. OB/GYN
|
$324,000
|
$335,000
|
|
12. Neurologist
|
$301,000
|
$305,000
|
|
13. Hospitalist
|
$269,000
|
$264,000
|
|
14. Psychiatrist
|
$261,000
|
$263,000
|
|
15. Internal Medicine (Internist)
|
$261,000
|
$257,000
|
|
16. Family Medicine Physician
|
$241,000
|
$231,000
|
|
17. Urgent Care Physician
|
$234,000
|
$219,000
|
|
18. Pediatrician
|
$230,000
|
$240,000
|
|
19. Nurse Practitioner
|
$129,000
|
$123,000
|
|
20. Physician Assistant
|
$109,000
|
$115,000
|
To learn more about the salary and incentive packages offered
to physicians and advanced practitioners in various workplace settings—including
bonuses, relocation packages, student loan repayment and other elements of
compensation—download a copy of the 2018 Review. This comprehensive report also looks at the
current demand for various medical specialties, and a number of trends that are
impacting the healthcare workforce.
RELATED:
8
Top Incentives Offered to Physicians and Advanced Practitioners
MERRITT HAWKINS’ experienced recruitment consultants can help
you take the next step in your career. CONNECT
with a recruiter today.
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