Which doctors make the least?

Doctors who make the least generally work in primary care and pediatrics, with specialties like Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Diabetes & Endocrinology often appearing at the bottom of salary lists, earning significantly less than procedural specialists due to less focus on high-reimbursement procedures and more on population health or foundational patient care. Specific low-paying subspecialties include Pediatric Infectious Disease, Pediatric Endocrinology, and Medical Genetics.

What type of doctor makes the least money?

Specialists with the lowest average total annual pay included doctors in pediatrics, public health and preventive medicine, and diabetes and endocrinology.

Who are the most overpaid doctors?

The highest-paid doctors in the U.S. are neurosurgeons, thoracic surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons. These surgical specialists earn average annual salaries between $650,000 and $760,000, making them the top earners among physicians.

What doctor makes $500,000 a year?

Doctors in surgical and high-demand procedural specialties frequently earn over $500,000 annually, with top earners often being Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Cardiology, and Thoracic Surgery, driven by complex skills, high demand (especially with aging populations), and lucrative elective procedures or emergency needs. Other fields like Radiology, Gastroenterology, Urology, and Anesthesiology also see average incomes exceeding this threshold.
 

What jobs in the US pay $300,000 a year?

Jobs paying $300,000 or more in the U.S. are concentrated in medicine, finance, law, and high-level tech/executive roles, including specialist doctors (surgeons, anesthesiologists), C-suite executives, investment bankers, partners in big law firms, senior tech leaders (VPs/Directors of Engineering), management consultants (Partners), private equity executives, and top-tier sales directors, often involving significant bonuses, commissions, or profit-sharing. Some roles, like senior airline pilots or successful entrepreneurs/tradespeople, can also reach this level without traditional degrees. 

Every Doctor Specialty Ranked by Salary 📊 (2025)

Can doctors make 700k a year?

Physician - MD/DO - Urologist

Guaranteed base salary from $550K for new graduates, up to $700k for experienced! Established hospitalist program to manage admissions. 1:5 call schedule, extra compensation for additional days taken.

Is the average doctor a millionaire?

One-quarter of doctors in their 60s are not even millionaires. The chart from the prior year was even more stunning, as it showed 11%-12% of doctors in their 60s didn't even have a net worth over $500,000, and only 48% of doctors over 65 were multi-millionaires.

What is the no. 1 highest paying job?

The #1 highest-paying job is consistently reported as Surgeons, particularly specialized ones like Pediatric Surgeons, followed closely by Anesthesiologists, due to extensive education, high responsibility, and complex procedures in healthcare, with salaries often exceeding $400,000 annually. Other top earners include other physician specialties (Cardiologists, Neurosurgeons) and high-level corporate executives (CEOs). 

What is the easiest doctor to become with a high salary?

15 highest-paying doctor jobs

• Psychiatrist. ...
• Obstetrics and gynecology physician. ...
• Pathologist. ...
• Internal medicine physician. ...
• Family medicine physician. ...
• Emergency medicine physician. ...
• Orthopedic surgeon. ...
• Radiologist.

What doctors do the least work?

According to a survey by the AMA, only 13% of doctors aged 40-69 work fewer than 40 hours per week. Among those lucky few are pain physicians, geriatricians and podiatrists. Most doctors, however, work 40-60 hours per week.

How much do cardiologists make in the US?

Average base salary

The average salary for a cardiology physician is $298,055 per year in the United States. 1.3k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated January 11, 2026).

Do all doctors make six figures?

Yes, nearly all fully-trained doctors earn six figures ($100,000+) after residency, but salaries vary wildly by specialty, with primary care physicians averaging around $300k+ and surgical/procedural specialists often earning $500k to over $700k annually, showing a vast range from low six figures to well into the millions. While residents earn less (mid-five to low-six figures), most attendings quickly surpass $100k, with specialties like Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and Dermatology leading the pay scales. 

What type of doctor has the easiest job?

Easiest Doctor to Become: Family Doctor

You can choose to enter any type of practice, from private practice to group practice, which have their advantages and disadvantages, but both types of practice means you get to choose your own hours. But surprisingly, family doctors are not always the happiest.

What is the lowest rank of a doctor?

The lowest rank of a fully qualified doctor in the US hierarchy is often an intern (first-year resident) or junior resident, following medical school, while in the UK it's a foundation doctor, both undergoing initial postgraduate training under supervision before becoming independent specialists or general practitioners. They work under senior residents and attending physicians, handling patient care tasks but still learning.
 

Are pediatricians the lowest paid doctors?

Pediatricians received the lowest compensation across primary care specialties in 2024, according to Doximity's 2025 Physician Compensation Report. Pediatric subspecialists' pay also was substantially lower than adult specialists, with gaps ranging from 24% for neurologists to 93% for those in hematology and oncology.

What is the happiest job that pays well?

17 of the happiest jobs

• Physician. National average salary: $217,850 per year Primary duties: Physicians, or doctors, provide physical, mental and emotional care to patients. ...
• Software engineer. ...
• Software developer. ...
• Real estate agent. ...
• Sales representative. ...
• Logistics manager. ...
• Fitness instructor. ...
• Executive assistant.

What degree pays the most?

The highest paying degrees are consistently in Engineering (especially Computer, Aerospace, Chemical) and Computer Science, often leading to mid-career salaries over $100k, alongside Finance, Data Science, and advanced Healthcare (requiring professional degrees like M.D. for top roles like surgeons, anesthesiologists). Business, Economics, and specialized IT/Math fields also offer excellent earning potential, emphasizing STEM and strategic business skills for high returns. 

What is the richest job in the world?

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) The CEO is the highest-paying job in the world. ...
• Anesthesiologist. Being the highest paying job in the USA, an Anesthesiologist is the second highest paid job in the world. ...
• General Surgeons. ...
• Psychiatrist. ...
• Data Scientists.

Do doctors struggle financially?

Yes, doctors often struggle with money management due to massive student debt, high expenses, lack of financial education, and lifestyle creep, despite their high incomes, leading to a stereotype that they are bad with finances, but proactive education and planning can help them overcome these challenges. They often start late in saving and investing, facing a steep learning curve with significant debt and a high tax burden, which makes disciplined financial habits essential. 

What disqualifies you from being a doctor?

Being disqualified from becoming a doctor often involves serious criminal history (violent, sexual, major drug crimes), fraud, dishonesty in applications, substance abuse, or professional misconduct like patient neglect, though a history of mental or physical health issues isn't always disqualifying if managed. Key disqualifiers center on anything suggesting a risk to patient safety or a lack of professional integrity, with felony convictions, fraud, and impaired practice being major red flags for medical boards. 

What do 90% of millionaires do?

While the often-quoted "90% of millionaires get rich through real estate" is a popular idea (linked to figures like Andrew Carnegie), most millionaires actually build wealth through consistent, disciplined habits like long-term investing in stocks/funds, living below their means, saving aggressively, prioritizing education, and owning their own businesses, with real estate being one of many paths to financial independence, not the sole key for the vast majority, notes Nasdaq and Ramsey Solutions. 

Do doctors work 7 days on 7 days off?

Yes, many hospital-based doctors, especially hospitalists, work a common "7 days on, 7 days off" schedule, working long shifts (often 12 hours) for a week, including weekends, then having a full week off, which allows for long periods of rest but can lead to burnout during work weeks. This schedule ensures continuity of care for patients but is just one model, with other specialties like emergency medicine or surgery having different patterns, and some doctors even prefer more frequent, shorter shifts.
 

Is it financially worth it to be a doctor?

Is becoming a doctor worth it financially? Yes, doctors can earn a good amount of money, thus ensuring an excellent return on investment. But it takes a long time and effort to become a doctor, so you need to be ready for that.

What jobs in the US pay $300,000 a year?

Jobs paying $300k+ in the U.S. are concentrated in healthcare (physicians, surgeons, specialists), tech (software architects, senior roles), finance (investment banking, private equity), and executive leadership (CEOs, Directors), with significant earnings also found in high-stakes sales, specialized entertainment/VFX, and some skilled trades/entrepreneurship, often requiring advanced degrees or exceptional performance, though some non-degree roles (like top sales or skilled trades) can reach this level through experience and commission.