Physicians are the nation’s top earners – a slideshow

Author(s):

Richard Payerchin

Key Takeaways

Physicians hold 16 of the top 20 highest-paid occupations in the U.S., with dentists filling the other four positions.
Extensive education and long work hours contribute significantly to physicians' high earnings.
Specialists earn more than general practitioners, with each extra year of training adding $143,000 to annual income.
Data sources include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and a 2023 study on physicians' earnings and labor supply.

A look at average annual salaries, based on government figures.

Physicians are the best paid workers in the nation, according to an analysis by USA Today.

This month, USA Today ran an article about doctor salaries, proclaiming they account for 16 of the top 20 highest-paid occupations in the land. The other four were various types of dentists, according to that report.

The main reasons are the time spent in school and long hours at work. It also may not be a surprise that specialists earn more than most family medicine and internal medicine physicians, with each extra year of training translating to $143,000 in additional yearly income.

Here’s a slideshow about physician salaries based on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The USA Today report is here; its sources include the July 2023 paper, “Who Values Human Capitalists’ Human Capital? The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians.”