In response to pressure to contain the cost of care while improving quality, hospitals and health systems have increasingly sought to acquire physician practices. Keeping track of compensation trends can help hospitals successfully attract physicians in order to expand and improve care. During the past year, some specialties saw notable increases in median compensation, while some of the highest paid specialties saw slight decreases in median base pay. Highest-paid specialties Cardiac and surgical specialties once again had the highest median compensation. Invasive cardiologists, orthopedic and cardiac and cardiac and thoracic surgeons reported median salaries of more than $500,000. Interventional diagnostic radiologists polled had a median salary upwards of $500,000, according to the American Medical Group Association's 2013 Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey, based on 2012 data. Non-invasive cardiologists, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, urologists and non-interventional diagnostic radiologists reported earning more than $400,000. General surgeons, ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists were close behind, all earning median salaries of more than $370,000. Lowest-paid specialties Primary care physicians including family medicine practitioners, hospitalists and pediatricians continued to report lower median salaries than other specialties, with pediatricians receiving the lowest median salaries at $222,827. Psychiatrists were the second-lowest paid, with median base pay of $224,878, according to AMGA. Endocrinologists, infectious disease specialists, internal medicine physicians, rheumatologists and urgent care physicians also ended up near the bottom of the list, all with median salaries less than $243,000. Other trends The overall weighted average increase for physician compensation from 2012 to 2013 was roughly 1.6 percent, according to the AMGA report. Primary care specialty compensation went up by about 2.8 percent, while earnings for other specialties rose 1.5 percent. Surgical specialty compensation increased by 0.5 percent. Some specialties saw notable increases. Endocrinologists saw a 5.81 percent increase in their median salary, while infectious disease specialists reported a 5.64 percent rise in median base pay. Rheumatologists saw their median pay go up by 4.89 percent, and the median base pay for anesthesiologists rose 4.6 percent. Meanwhile, although they are still among the highest paid, cardiac and thoracic surgeons saw a 3.33 percent drop in their median base pay, and non-invasive cardiologists experienced a 2.17 percent decrease. Physician statistics — 2014 Based on the most recent market data available from physician compensation reports and surveys, here are 200 statistics on physician compensation trends during the past year. Note: Some of the statistics may seem higher or lower compared with others in each specialty. A collection of physician surveys were used to compile information. In addition, every specialty does not contain the same number of statistics, as some data was not available for each specialty. Please read the following to understand where the statistics came from: Median salary, median work RVUs and median gross charges are from the American Medical Group Association's 2013 Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey, a 2013 report based on 2012 data. The survey collected responses from 280 medical groups that represent approximately 67,900 physicians during the first quarter of 2013. Mean salary for men, mean salary for women, highest-paying region, lowest-paying region, hospital-employed salary and multispecialty group practice salary are from Medscape's 2013 Physician Compensation Report. The report collected responses from 21,878 U.S. physicians across 25 specialty areas from Feb. 14, 2013, to Feb. 28, 2013. Highest offered base salary and lowest offered base salary are from Merritt Hawkins' 2013 Review of Physician Recruiting Incentives. The report is based on 3,097 permanent physician search assignments that Merritt Hawkins engaged in from April 2012 to March 2013. Anesthesiologists Median salary: $394,734 (4.6 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,342,339 Median salary for men: $347,000 Median salary for women: $300,000 Highest-paying region: North Central ($383,000) Lowest-paying region: West ($318,000) Hospital-employed salary: $349,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $374,000 Cardiac and thoracic surgeons Median salary: $525,944 (3.33 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,663,247 Cardiologists Median salary: $420,991 (2.17 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,298,288 Mean salary for men: $362,000 Mean salary for women: $310,000 Highest-paying region: Northwest ($403,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($311,000) Hospital-employed salary: $314,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $380,000 Highest offered base salary (non-invasive cardiology, not including bonuses): $550,000 Lowest offered base salary (non-invasive cardiology, not including bonuses): $250,000 Cardiologists – Invasive Median salary: $547,112 (4.27 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,496,641 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $675,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $300,000 Dermatologists Median salary: $411,499 (3.56 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,649,366 Mean salary for men: $321,000 Mean salary for women: $284,000 Highest-paying region: Great Lakes ($333,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($274,000) Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $425,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $235,000 Diagnostic radiologists (Interventional MDs) Median salary: $504,772 (4.02 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $2,366,223 Diagnostic radiologists (Non-interventional MDs) Median salary: $453,216 (1.30 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $2,181,076 Emergency medicine physicians Median salary: $301,000 (1.18 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,017,726 Mean salary for men: $277,000 Mean salary for women: $242,000 Highest-paying region: South Central ($298,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($242,000) Hospital-employed salary: $277,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $203,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $450,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $210,000 Endocrinologists Median salary: $234,258 (5.81 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $669,768 Mean salary for men: $183,000 Mean salary for women: $172,000 Highest-paying region: North Central ($210,000) Lowest-paying region: Southwest ($148,000) Hospital-employed salary: $146,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $188,000 Family medicine physicians Median salary: $223,810 (2.03 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $732,661 Mean salary for men: $184,000 Mean salary for women: $157,000 Highest-paying region: North Central ($186,000) Lowest-paying region: Northwest ($162,000) Hospital-employed salary: $204,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $191,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $325,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $130,000 Gastroenterologists Median salary: $432,616 (0.58 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,925,073 Mean salary for men: $349,000 Mean salary for women: $308,000 Highest-paying region: Northwest ($498,000) Lowest-paying region: Mid-Atlantic ($311,000) Hospital-employed salary: $264,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $421,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $600,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $291,000 General surgeons Median salary: $373,478 (0.93 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,316,116 Mean salary for men: $290,000 Mean salary for women: $225,000 Highest-paying region: North Central ($340,000) Lowest-paying region: West ($258,000) Hospital-employed salary: $262,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $338,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $550,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $240,000 Hematologists/medical oncologists Median salary: $350,268 (0.61 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $684,264 Mean salary for men: $293,000 Mean salary for women: $240,000 Highest-paying region: Southwest ($347,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($230,000) Hospital-employed salary: $227,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $356,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $525,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $275,000 Hospitalists (internal medicine) Median salary: $241,250 (2.01 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $460,709 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $350,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $150,000 Internal medicine physicians Median salary: $226,833 (1.08 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $739,067 Mean salary for men: $195,000 Mean salary for women: $165,000 Highest-paying region: South Central ($210,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($168,000) Hospital-employed salary: $192,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $203,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $325,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $130,000 Nephrologists Median salary: $277,449 (0.17 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $967,052 Mean salary for men: $242,000 Mean salary for women: $214,000 Highest-paying region: Southwest ($289,000) Lowest-paying region: Great Lakes ($180,000) Hospital-employed salary: $149,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $259,000 Neurologists Median salary: $255,004 (2.31 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $816,409 Mean salary for men: $227,000 Mean salary for women: $189,000 Highest-paying region: South Central ($250,000) Lowest-paying region: Mid-Atlantic($194,000) Hospital-employed salary: $199,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $226,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $400,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $180,000 Obstetricians/gynecologists (general) Median salary: $312,541 (3.03 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,266,715 Mean salary for men: $253,000 Mean salary for women: $221,000 Highest-paying region: South Central ($250,000) Lowest-paying region: Mid-Atlantic ($194,000) Hospital-employed salary: $216,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $252,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $350,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $225,000 Ophthalmologists Median salary: $372,552 (0.15 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,901,428 Mean salary for men: $294,000 Mean salary for women: $220,000 Highest-paying region: North Central ($351,000) Lowest-paying region: South Central ($230,000) Hospital-employed salary: $205,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $340,000 Orthopedic surgeons Median salary: $525,000 (1.79 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $2,013,979 Mean salary for men: $403,000 Mean salary for women: $422,000 Highest-paying region: Northwest ($652,000) Lowest-paying region: Mid-Atlantic ($248,000) Hospital-employed salary: $396,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $422,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $750,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $250,000 Otolaryngologists Median salary: $383,141 (2.34 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,605,445 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $650,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $300,000 Pediatricians (general) Median salary: $222,827 (0.99 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $873,546 Mean salary for men: $190,000 Mean salary for women: $156,000 Highest-paying region: Great Lakes ($182,000) Lowest-paying region: Northeast ($165,000) Hospital-employed salary: $162,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $188,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $300,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $145,000 Psychiatrists Median salary: $224,878 (3.54 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $489,583 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $300,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $165,000 Pulmonologists Median salary: $300,646 (1.4 percent decrease from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,003,779 Mean salary for men: $219,000 Mean salary for women: $271,000 Highest-paying region: West ($296,000) Lowest-paying region: Southwest ($210,000) Hospital-employed salary: $210,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $303,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $500,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $225,000 Rheumatologists Median salary: $240,250 (4.89 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $845,886 Mean salary for men: $195,000 Mean salary for women: $165,000 Highest-paying region: Southeast ($208,000) Lowest-paying region: Northwest ($140,000) Hospital-employed salary: $201,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $224,000 Urologists Median salary: $424,603 (2.17 percent increase from 2012) Median gross charges: $1,795,229 Mean salary for men: $344,000 Mean salary for women: $303,000 Highest-paying region: Great Lakes ($433,000) Lowest-paying region: Mid-Atlantic ($309,000) Hospital-employed salary: $328,000 Multispecialty group practice salary: $412,000 Highest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $650,000 Lowest offered base salary (not including bonuses): $385,000 Source
