2027 Salary Guide · Healthcare
BLS splits doctors into more than a dozen specialties, so this page uses family medicine physicians, the closest match for a general "Physician" title, as its baseline. Their median was $244,180 in May 2025, about $259,500 in 2027 terms. Across all physicians and surgeons the BLS median was $275,930, and specialty choice moves pay far more than anything else.
By specialty
BLS publishes separate medians for physician specialties. Family medicine sits near the bottom, above general pediatrics.
| Specialty (BLS occupation) | Median pay, May 2025 | Difference vs. family medicine |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric surgeons | $559,030 | +$314,850 |
| Cardiologists | $496,010 | +$251,830 |
| Radiologists | $420,860 | +$176,680 |
| Anesthesiologists | $391,490 | +$147,310 |
| Emergency medicine physicians | $335,550 | +$91,370 |
| Psychiatrists | $281,870 | +$37,690 |
| General internal medicine physicians | $256,560 | +$12,380 |
| Family medicine physicians | $244,180 | Baseline |
| Pediatricians, general | $210,040 | -$34,140 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Physicians and Surgeons (May 2025 wages). Selected specialties shown. The median for all physicians and surgeons was $275,930.
About this data
This page uses BLS's Family Medicine Physicians occupation because O*NET lists "Physician" and "Primary Care Physician" among its reported job titles. It is not a measured figure for every doctor. If you are pricing a specialist, use that specialty's median from the table above.
BLS wage data comes from employer surveys, so it covers employed physicians. Doctors who own their practice are not in the wage figures, and their income can be higher or lower than an employed physician's.
Metro markets are small. BLS estimates only a few hundred family physicians in several metros, so those medians can swing, and the bottom 10th percentile nationally is unusually low. The median and the 25th to 75th percentile band are the most reliable numbers on this page.
Pay distribution
Figures are for BLS's Family Medicine Physicians occupation. The middle half earned between $162,420 and $334,270. The 10th percentile, $76,830, is below what the lowest-paid tenth of nurse practitioners earn; BLS does not explain it, so treat the bottom of this range with caution.
Typical for the Physician title: $162,420 to $334,270 (25th to 75th percentile of Family Medicine Physicians)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,830 | $81,500 |
| 25th percentile | $162,420 | $172,500 |
| Median | $244,180 | $259,500 |
| 75th percentile | $334,270 | $355,500 |
| 90th percentile | $428,550 | $455,500 |
Uses Family Medicine Physicians; specialist pay is higher, and BLS caps the top of physician ranges.
Local pay
Phoenix posts a $341,680 median in one of the larger markets, about 2,050 employed family physicians, and Baltimore follows at $307,400. Providence shows $438,290, but BLS estimates only about 310 family physicians there, so a few employers can move it. Hartford ($148,850) and Detroit ($181,990) are lowest, and BLS does not publish a Houston figure for this occupation.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $438,290 +79% | $203,870 – $467,160 | 310 |
| Phoenix | $341,680 +40% | $183,290 – $425,910 | 2,050 |
| Baltimore | $307,400 +26% | $136,250 – $420,950 | 760 |
| Seattle | $306,190 +25% | $95,500 – $337,870 | 840 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $304,560 +25% | $98,220 – $534,110 | 2,170 |
| San Diego | $295,530 +21% | $149,290 – $493,980 | 1,360 |
| Philadelphia | $294,430 +21% | $129,460 – $423,650 | 1,790 |
| Portland | $286,170 +17% | $190,510 – $318,170 | 700 |
| Boston | $284,010 +16% | $107,650 – $374,630 | 2,950 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $283,060 +16% | $167,750 – $372,970 | 1,120 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $275,930 +13% | $165,600 – $407,650 | 1,730 |
| Charlotte | $269,270 +10% | $107,990 – $363,240 | 280 |
| Austin | $263,070 +8% | $161,800 – $317,500 | 250 |
| Atlanta | $259,320 +6% | $170,770 – $437,630 | 2,060 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $259,310 +6% | $107,810 – $431,530 | 2,240 |
| Denver | $255,590 +5% | $77,310 – $335,940 | 1,080 |
| New York City | $249,150 +2% | $62,090 – $403,430 | 4,870 |
| Albany | $236,090 -3% | $75,530 – $418,550 | 220 |
| Tampa | $233,210 -4% | $54,060 – $383,310 | 1,290 |
| Buffalo | $228,190 -7% | $140,020 – $408,570 | 140 |
| Miami | $227,700 -7% | $108,670 – $352,730 | — |
| Washington, DC | $225,140 -8% | $125,150 – $329,200 | 1,470 |
| Chicago | $225,080 -8% | $94,990 – $320,380 | 1,430 |
| Raleigh | $218,830 -10% | $197,210 – $283,640 | — |
| Nashville | $211,370 -13% | $64,180 – $311,930 | 650 |
| Los Angeles | $186,700 -24% | $74,510 – $307,820 | — |
| Detroit | $181,990 -25% | $65,310 – $382,240 | 1,940 |
| Hartford | $148,850 -39% | $73,650 – $358,900 | 210 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
Pay drivers
Inside family medicine, these are the factors that most often move an offer.
Among the metros where BLS publishes a figure, the family medicine median ranges from $148,850 in Hartford to $341,680 in Phoenix. That is a wider gap than between some specialties.
Hospital-owned groups, independent practices and urgent care centers pay differently, and many add productivity pay on top of a base salary. Compare total guaranteed pay, not base alone.
After 4 years of medical school, residency lasts 3 to 9 years depending on specialty, and subspecialty fellowships add 1 to 3 more. The specialties with the longest training, such as surgery and cardiology, have the highest BLS medians.
BLS notes that board certification is not required but may increase employment opportunities. Many hospital and group employers ask for board-certified or board-eligible candidates.
Outlook
BLS rates family medicine growth as about average for 2025 to 2035, with roughly 2,900 openings a year from about 114,300 jobs. For all physicians and surgeons it projects 4 percent growth.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Family Medicine Physicians as a whole.
Compare
At the median, family physicians earn about $111,880 more than nurse practitioners and about $73,230 more than general dentists.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician | $244,180 | $259,500 | Average |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $140,500 | Much faster than average |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $150,000 | Faster than average |
| Dentist | $170,950 | $181,500 | Faster than average |
| Healthcare Administrator | $123,860 | $131,500 | Much faster than average |
FAQ
It depends heavily on specialty. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $275,930 for all physicians and surgeons and $244,180 for family medicine physicians, the baseline used on this page. Specialty medians range from $210,040 for general pediatricians to $559,030 for pediatric surgeons.
Family medicine physicians had a median of $117.39 an hour, according to O*NET's use of BLS May 2025 data. Most physicians are salaried; hourly rates matter mainly for locum tenens, urgent care shifts and other per-shift work.
Among the specialties BLS reports, pediatric surgeons had the highest median in May 2025 at $559,030, followed by cardiologists ($496,010), radiologists ($420,860) and other surgeons ($414,010). Family medicine physicians earned $244,180 and general pediatricians $210,040.
Typically 11 years or more after high school: a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, and a residency of 3 to 9 years depending on specialty. Subspecialists add a 1- to 3-year fellowship. All states require physicians to pass national licensing exams.
BLS projects about average growth for family medicine physicians from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 2,900 openings a year, and 4 percent growth for physicians and surgeons overall. About 114,300 family medicine physicians were employed in 2025.
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