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Highest Paying Medical Specialties
Medical specialties ranked by median total compensation
Verified Physician Data|Updated May 2026|3,769+ Responses
📋 Key Takeaways
- •#1 Specialty: Cardiothoracic Surgery ($1150K median)
- •Data Source: Based on 3,769 verified physician responses to SalaryDr.
- •Minimum Sample: Only specialties with 5+ responses included for statistical reliability.
| Rank | Specialty | Median Salary | Responses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiothoracic Surgery | $1150K | 27 | View → |
| 2 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | $1000K | 25 | View → |
| 3 | Neurosurgery | $900K | 97 | View → |
| 4 | Thoracic Surgery | $810K | 20 | View → |
| 5 | Orthopedic Surgery | $770K | 111 | View → |
| 6 | Endodontist | $750K | 13 | View → |
| 7 | Plastic Surgery | $740K | 75 | View → |
| 8 | Pediatric Surgery | $675K | 15 | View → |
| 9 | Ophthalmology | $670K | 105 | View → |
| 10 | Dermatology | $620K | 90 | View → |
| 11 | Vascular Surgery | $615K | 54 | View → |
| 12 | Cardiology | $610K | 189 | View → |
| 13 | Interventional Radiology | $605K | 52 | View → |
| 14 | Pain Management | $600K | 27 | View → |
| 15 | Orthodontist | $600K | 20 | View → |
| 16 | Urology | $585K | 93 | View → |
| 17 | Radiation Oncology | $585K | 43 | View → |
| 18 | Radiology | $560K | 119 | View → |
| 19 | Gastroenterology | $550K | 91 | View → |
| 20 | Burn Surgery | $540K | 13 | View → |
| 21 | Gynecologic Oncology | $540K | 14 | View → |
| 22 | General Surgery | $515K | 146 | View → |
| 23 | Otolaryngology | $515K | 42 | View → |
| 24 | Anesthesiology | $510K | 169 | View → |
| 25 | Maternal-Fetal Medicine | $505K | 15 | View → |
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Rankings are based on aggregated data from verified physician responses submitted to SalaryDr. We only include specialties with at least 5 responses to ensure statistical reliability. Salaries are ranked by median total compensation to reduce the impact of outliers.
How often is this data updated?
Our database is continuously updated as new physician responses are submitted and verified. This page reflects the latest available data as of May 12, 2026.