Which states pay doctors the least?

States with some of the lowest average doctor salaries consistently include Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Mississippi, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Michigan, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Illinois, though rankings vary slightly by source and year, with factors like cost of living and specialty affecting the figures, and some lists showing Hawaii also among the lower-paying states despite its wealth.

What states pay doctors the least?

States with the Lowest Average Doctor Salaries

• Rhode Island: $305,000 a year.
• Massachusetts: $331,000 a year.
• Hawaii: $340,000 a year.
• Connecticut: $346,000 a year.
• Maine: $346,000 a year.
• Alaska: $357,000 a year.
• Maryland: $357,000 a year.
• New Hampshire: $357,000 a year.

What is the lowest paid doctor?

The lowest-paid doctor specialties consistently fall in primary care and certain pediatric subspecialties, with Pediatrics often cited as the lowest overall, followed by Public Health/Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and pediatric subspecialties like Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases. These roles offer lower compensation than surgical or high-demand adult specialties, often due to the broad nature of primary care and the focus on children's health, though they provide excellent work-life balance for many.
 

What is the best state to work as a doctor?

Topics. In 2025, Montana, Indiana and South Dakota were found to be the best states for practicing medicine, while Hawaii, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia are the most difficult, according to WalletHub's recently released list of the best and worst states for physicians.

What doctor makes $500,000 a year?

Doctors in high-demand surgical and specialized fields like Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, Cardiology, and Gastroenterology often earn over $500,000 annually, with some top earners in Thoracic Surgery or Neurosurgery making significantly more, while even family doctors can reach this level through practice ownership or specialized services.
 

Best & Worst States for Doctors📍 (Where YOU Should Practice)

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

Jobs paying $300,000 or more in the U.S. are typically senior roles in technology, finance, law, and medicine, including roles like CEOs, Chief Technology Officers, Investment Bankers, Partner-Level Lawyers, Surgeons, and Specialized Physicians, along with top-tier Sales Directors, Management Consultants, and Private Equity Executives, often relying on bonuses, commissions, or profit-sharing for high earnings. High-income careers without traditional degrees can also be found in tech entrepreneurship, high-level skilled trades, and top-performing sales. 

What states are doctors the happiest?

The findings challenge long-held assumptions about where doctors are happiest, placing states like Nebraska, Iowa, and Nevada at the top of the list, well ahead of high-salary markets like New York and California.

Which states need the most doctors?

Top 10 states with the highest demand for healthcare workers in...

• Georgia.
• Illinois. ...
• New York. ...
• North Carolina. ...
• Ohio. ...
• Pennsylvania. ...
• Texas. ...
• Wisconsin. Like many states, Wisconsin is expected to face a shortage of primary care physicians in the next ten years, with 745 positions statewide. ...

What state is #1 in healthcare?

There isn't one single "first" state, as rankings vary by the criteria used, but Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Minnesota consistently rank at the top for overall healthcare quality, access, affordability, and outcomes in recent reports from sources like the Commonwealth Fund and U.S. News & World Report. Hawaii often leads in quality and outcomes, while Massachusetts excels in affordability, coverage, and access, with other high performers including Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. 

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 is the easiest doctor to become?

Least Competitive Medical Specialties

1. Family Medicine. Average Step 1 Score: 216.1. ...
2. Psychiatry. Average Step 1 Score: 223.1. ...
3. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Average Step 1 Score: 224.2. ...
4. Pediatrics. Average Step 1 Score: 226.4. ...
5. Emergency Medicine. Average Step 1 Score: 231.1. ...
6. Internal Medicine (Categorical) ...
7. Anesthesiology.

Which doctor works the least?

Public Health & Preventive Medicine

Because they are more likely to work in academic, governmental, nonprofit, or corporate settings, these jobs offer a similar work/life balance to many professions outside of medicine, working the fewest hours of many doctors.

Which state gives most doctors?

The Leading State in Producing Doctors:

Tamil Nadu is often recognized as the leading state in producing doctors in India.

Is $75000 a good salary in the USA?

Yes, $75,000 is generally considered a decent to good salary in most of the U.S., placing you above the median household income and comfortably middle-class in many areas, allowing for savings and expenses, but it becomes tight or insufficient in very high cost-of-living cities like New York or San Francisco. Your actual experience with this salary depends heavily on your location (high vs. low cost-of-living area), family size, and financial habits. 

Is it possible to make 200K as a PA?

Yes, a Physician Assistant (PA) absolutely can make over $200k, especially in high-demand specialties like emergency medicine, surgery (cardiac, neuro), dermatology, or by working in locations with high cost of living or in specialized roles like telehealth, though it often requires experience and working in lucrative areas, with some reports indicating around 1 in 14 PAs reach this income level. 

What type of doctors is there a shortage of?

Primary care: This field, which includes general practitioners, family medicine doctors and internists, faces the highest demand. The shortage of primary care physicians is driven by an aging population, an increase in chronic diseases and a growing need for preventative care.

Which type of Doctor is most in demand?

Strong demand in all specialties

• Internal medicine.
• Radiology.
• Gastroenterology.
• Cardiology.
• Obstetrics and gynecology.
• Hematology/oncology.
• Psychiatry.
• Hospital medicine.

What states are doctors moving to?

According to a 2022 survey by Medscape, the following cities are the top 10 destinations for doctors moving within the United States:

• Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Boise, Idaho.
• Austin, Texas.
• Boulder, Colorado.
• San Jose, California.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Sacramento, California.

What is the least stressful doctor?

10 Physician Specialities With Low-Stress & More Flexibility

• Dermatology.
• Anesthesiology.
• Ophthalmology.
• Pediatrics.
• Psychiatry.
• Clinical Immunology/Allergy.
• General/Clinical Pathology.
• Nephrology.

Which type of doctor has the highest rate of depression?

While findings vary slightly by study, recent data from organizations like the AMA and Medscape, often point to specialties like Urology, Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN), and Family Medicine as having some of the highest rates of depression or burnout, with front-line roles often being particularly affected. These areas involve high-stress, time-intensive care, bureaucracy, and challenging patient interactions, contributing to mental health challenges. 

What state has the lowest shortage of doctors?

Key Takeaways. Massachusetts has the highest physician-to-population ratio, with more than 4 physicians per 1000 residents, followed by Maryland and New York. Idaho and Mississippi are the only 2 states with less than 2 doctors per 100'000 residents.

What's the lowest paid doctor?

The lowest-paid doctor specialties consistently fall in primary care and certain pediatric subspecialties, with Pediatrics often cited as the lowest overall, followed by Public Health/Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and pediatric subspecialties like Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases. These roles offer lower compensation than surgical or high-demand adult specialties, often due to the broad nature of primary care and the focus on children's health, though they provide excellent work-life balance for many.
 

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

Jobs paying $300k/year in the U.S. are concentrated in medicine, tech, finance, law, and executive leadership, including roles like specialized physicians (radiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists), tech leaders (VPs, senior engineers), private equity executives, management consultants, top lawyers, and high-level sales directors, often requiring advanced degrees, specialized skills, or significant experience, with compensation often including bonuses and performance-based incentives. 

What personality type is best for surgeons?

Analysis showed that surgeons scored significantly higher for conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness and neuroticism than non-surgeons (P < 0.05).