Annual Report
2026 Physician Compensation Report
A comprehensive analysis of physician compensation across specialties, geographies, and practice settings—based on 341 verified self-reported submissions collected in 2026.
Total Submissions
341
Overall Median Compensation
$462,000
Year-over-Year Change
-1.7%
vs $470,000 in 2025
Key Findings
Highest Paying Specialty
Plastic Surgery
$1,440,000
median · n=6
Fastest Growing Specialty
Plastic Surgery
+94.6%
YoY salary increase
Most Satisfied Specialty
Ophthalmology
4.6/5
avg satisfaction
Average Annual Bonus
$273,713
across 176 physicians
Compensation by Specialty
Top 20 specialties by submission count, sorted by median total compensation.
| Specialty | Median | N | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic Surgery | $1,440,000 | 6 | +94.6% |
| Neurosurgery | $895,000 | 10 | -0.6% |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery | $878,000 | 8 | -26.8% |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $725,000 | 17 | -8.8% |
| Interventional Radiology | $700,000 | 5 | +15.7% |
| Gastroenterology | $650,000 | 6 | +18.2% |
| Radiology | $640,000 | 14 | +8.5% |
| Cardiology | $605,000 | 36 | -2.9% |
| Radiation Oncology | $585,000 | 6 | -1.7% |
| Vascular Surgery | $560,600 | 5 | -9.4% |
| Anesthesiology | $500,000 | 36 | -7.4% |
| Pathology | $490,000 | 7 | +25.6% |
| Ophthalmology | $480,000 | 5 | -29.4% |
| Critical Care | $475,200 | 7 | +2.2% |
| Otolaryngology | $468,000 | 6 | -10.9% |
| Emergency Medicine | $464,000 | 10 | +16.3% |
| Neurology | $443,000 | 8 | +5.5% |
| General Surgery | $442,500 | 16 | -19.5% |
| Psychiatry | $352,750 | 12 | -2% |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | $350,000 | 5 | -18.1% |
Geographic Analysis
Physician compensation varies significantly by state. States with fewer than 5 submissions are excluded.
Highest-Paying States
| State | Median | N |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $700,000 | 9 |
| New Mexico | $682,500 | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | $585,000 | 9 |
| North Carolina | $542,500 | 12 |
| Texas | $537,500 | 24 |
| California | $500,000 | 28 |
| Michigan | $495,000 | 7 |
| Illinois | $492,500 | 14 |
| Arizona | $480,000 | 13 |
| New York | $470,000 | 30 |
Lowest-Paying States
| State | Median | N |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $400,000 | 5 |
| Georgia | $400,000 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | $380,000 | 8 |
| Indiana | $380,000 | 5 |
| Connecticut | $360,000 | 6 |
| Colorado | $360,000 | 9 |
| Alabama | $353,750 | 8 |
| Alaska | $350,000 | 14 |
| Minnesota | $342,500 | 6 |
| Arkansas | $327,750 | 6 |
Practice Setting Breakdown
How physician compensation compares across different practice environments.
Locum Tenens
$567,600
8 submissions
Private Practice
$500,000
110 submissions
Hospital Employed
$463,500
148 submissions
Academic
$401,300
64 submissions
FQHC
$300,000
7 submissions
Satisfaction Overview
Self-reported career satisfaction metrics from 2026 physician submissions.
Overall Satisfaction
3.7/5
305 responses
Would Choose Medicine Again
87%
295 responses
Avg Hours per Week
49
341 responses
Most Satisfied Specialties
Related Compensation Data
Methodology
All compensation data in this report is self-reported by physicians through SalaryDr's anonymous submission form. Each submission is reviewed for accuracy and completeness before being approved for inclusion in our database. Data is filtered to include only attending physicians (residents and fellows are excluded from this report). Specialties and states with fewer than 5 submissions are excluded to protect anonymity and ensure statistical relevance.
Percentile calculations use linear interpolation on sorted compensation arrays. Year-over-year changes compare the median total compensation of the current reporting year to the prior calendar year. Compensation figures represent total annual compensation inclusive of base salary, bonuses, and incentives.
For a full description of our data collection and verification process, see our methodology page.