Source: SalaryDr Medical Fellowship Salary Guide (2026). Based on 111 approved salary reports. Median salary: $80,000/year. URL: https://www.salarydr.com/fellowship-salary
Medical Fellowship Salary Guide (2026)
Real fellowship salary data from 111 approved salary reports. Median fellow salary: $80,000/year. See pay by fellowship year, moonlighting income, stipends, and how fellowship pay compares to attending physician salaries.
Quick Answer
The median medical fellowship salary in the United States is $80,000 per year (2026), based on 111 approved salary reports. First-year fellows earn a median of $78,000, 5% of fellows report additional moonlighting income.
Source: SalaryDr approved salary reports • Updated Nov 2026
Fellowship Salary by Year (2026)
Median salary by postgraduate year level based on 111 approved fellow salary reports. Fellows are typically PGY-4 through PGY-8+.
| PGY Level | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $78,000 |
| PGY-2 | $80,000 |
| PGY-3 | $82,500 |
| PGY-4 | $73,500 |
| PGY-5 | $86,500 |
| PGY-6 | $86,571 |
| PGY-8+ | $91,000 |
Based on approved salary reports on SalaryDr. Medians may shift as more data is collected.
Moonlighting During Fellowship
Real moonlighting data reported by fellows on SalaryDr. Fellows often command higher moonlighting rates than residents due to board eligibility in their primary specialty.
Important: Moonlighting must comply with ACGME duty-hour regulations (80-hour weekly limit averaged over 4 weeks). Not all fellowship programs permit external moonlighting. Always check your program’s policies first.
Fellowship Stipends & Benefits
Median annual stipends reported by fellows, in addition to base salary.
Fellowship Salary by Specialty
Explore detailed fellowship salary data for specific specialties, including year-level breakdowns, moonlighting rates, stipends, and fellow-to-attending salary gaps.
Top-Paying States for Fellows
Median fellow salary by state based on approved salary reports. Higher pay often correlates with higher cost of living.
| State | Median Salary | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $102,000 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | $100,000 | 3 |
| New York | $94,000 | 6 |
| Maryland | $91,831 | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,000 | 5 |
| Oklahoma | $85,000 | 3 |
| Illinois | $84,000 | 3 |
| Michigan | $82,000 | 3 |
Fellowship vs. Attending Salary: The Gap by Specialty
The jump from fellowship to subspecialist attending income is the final — and often largest — salary increase in a physician’s career. Data from approved SalaryDr salary reports.
| Specialty | Fellow Median | Attending Median | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiology | $70,000 | $690,000 | 9.9x |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery | $91,500 | $862,000 | 9.4x |
| Gastroenterology | $75,000 | $680,000 | 9.1x |
| Cardiology | $80,000 | $600,000 | 7.5x |
| General Surgery | $80,000 | $400,000 | 5.0x |
| Psychiatry | $80,000 | $350,000 | 4.4x |
| Hematology/Oncology | $82,423 | $360,000 | 4.4x |
| Nephrology | $77,737 | $330,000 | 4.2x |
| Allergy/Immunology | $72,000 | $300,000 | 4.2x |
| Family Medicine | $70,000 | $287,500 | 4.1x |
After Fellowship: Straight to Subspecialist Practice
Completing fellowship training qualifies you to practice as a subspecialist, commanding significantly higher salaries than generalists in most fields.
Subspecialist Attending Salaries
Fellowship-trained subspecialists typically earn 20–50% more than their generalist counterparts. Interventional cardiologists, gastroenterologists, and surgical subspecialists often command $400,000–$800,000+.
Explore attending salariesResidency Salary Data
Curious how fellowship pay compares to residency? Browse resident salary data by specialty, PGY level, and location.
Residency salary guideBrowse Attending Salaries by Specialty
Fellowship Salary FAQ
How much do medical fellows make in 2026?
Based on 111 approved salary reports on SalaryDr, the median medical fellowship salary is $80,000 per year in 2026. Fellowship salaries typically range from $70,000 to $95,000, with slight increases each year of training.
Do fellowship salaries vary by subspecialty?
Fellowship salaries are generally determined by the training institution and year of training rather than subspecialty. However, programs in higher cost-of-living areas tend to pay more. The real salary difference by subspecialty emerges after fellowship when attending-level compensation for subspecialists can exceed generalists by 2x or more.
Can fellows moonlight to earn extra income?
Yes — 5% of fellows on SalaryDr report moonlighting. Fellows are often board-eligible or board-certified in their primary specialty, allowing higher moonlighting rates. Policies vary by program and must comply with ACGME duty-hour regulations.
What benefits do fellows receive beyond salary?
Most fellowship programs provide health and dental insurance, meal stipends, housing allowances in some locations, a CME/education allowance, malpractice insurance, and conference travel funding. Some programs offer student loan deferment or repayment assistance.
Is fellowship worth it financially?
Fellowship training typically adds 1–3 years at fellow-level pay ($70K–$95K) instead of attending-level pay. However, fellowship-trained subspecialists often earn 20–50% more than generalists over their career. For example, a cardiologist may earn $150,000–$300,000 more per year than a general internist, making the opportunity cost well worth it for most subspecialties.
How long is fellowship training?
Fellowship duration varies by subspecialty: most are 1–3 years. Cardiology and gastroenterology fellowships are typically 3 years, pulmonary/critical care is 3 years, and many surgical subspecialties are 1–2 years. Some combined fellowships or research-intensive programs may last longer.
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