Survey: Private practice pays better than academic practice

From 1999 to 2009, compensation in academic practices continued to trail that in private practices, according to a member survey of academic practices released last month by the Medical Group Management Association.

Academic primary care physicians reported annual compensation of $158,218, while specialty care physicians reported compensation of $238,587, a difference of $80,369, according to the survey. Private practice averages for 2008 were $186,044 for primary care and $339,738 for specialty. (2009 compensation data for private practices were not yet available.) Since 2005, compensation for primary care providers in academic practice rose 16.9 percent.