New Doximity Report Reveals Large Gaps in U.S. Physician Compensation

Doximity, the largest social network for physicians and advanced practice clinicians) released it’s Annual Physician Compensation Report revealing that in every single speciality across the United States men make more than women. In 2017, the national gender gap for physicians increased as female doctors earned 27.7 percent less ($105,000)than their male counterparts. The disparity in 2016 was 26.5 percent, when female doctors earned $91,284 less. Similar to 2016 findings, there remains no medical specialty in which female doctors earn more than male doctors. Additionally, women earn less than men in all of the top 50 metro areas. 

This year’s study found that doctors saw an average 4 percent wage increase nationally from 2016 to 2017. However, compensation varied significantly across metropolitan areas, between genders and across medical specialties. The report is based on self-reported compensation surveys completed in 2016 and 2017 on more than 65,000 verified U.S. physician respondents, making it one of the largest studies available on physician pay in the United States. Responses were mapped across metropolitan statistical areas, and the top 50 were ranked by the number of respondents in the data. 

Other key findings of the report include: 

Physician Compensation by Metro Area

– The five metro areas with the highest average annual salary in 2017 were: Charlotte, N.C. ($402,273); Milwaukee($398,431); Jacksonville, Fla. ($379,820); Indianapolis, Ind. ($378,011); and San Jose, Calif. ($376,585).

– The five metro areas with the lowest average annual salary in 2017 were: Durham, N.C. ($282,035); Ann Arbor, Mich.($302,692); Baltimore ($304,002); New Haven, Conn. ($308,262); and Rochester, N.Y. ($312,503).

– From 2016 to 2017, the metro areas with the largest increase in physician compensation were: Charleston, S.C. (11.6 percent or $33,182 more); Milwaukee (7.3 percent or $52,601 more); Austin, Texas (7.2 percent or $45,605 more); San Francisco (6.9 percent or $58,184 more); and Las Vegas (6.7 percent or $47,256 more).

Physician Compensation by Medical Specialty

– The five medical specialties with the highest average annual salary in 2017 were: neurosurgery ($662,755); thoracic surgery ($602,745); orthopedic surgery ($537,568); vascular surgery ($476,300); and plastic surgery ($473,212).

– The five medical specialties with the lowest average annual salary in 2017 were: pediatric infectious disease ($191,735); pediatric hematology and oncology ($208,524); pediatric endocrinology ($214,911); pediatrics ($221,900); and preventive medicine ($231,838).

“Considering the increasing concern about potential doctor shortages, having a clear understanding of physician compensation is more relevant than ever,” said Nate Gross, M.D., co-founder of Doximity. “As the largest online medical network in the U.S., Doximity has unmatched insight into issues that affect the medical community, including compensation trends and disparities.”