Skip to main content

Docs Dominate Another Highest-Paying Jobs List

News  |  By John Commins  
   August 30, 2017

Physicians occupy LinkedIn’s top six highest-paying jobs, and eight of the top 15 spots. The findings are the latest in a long line of studies showing that physicians are the nation’s highest-paid professionals.

Physicians accounted for eight of the top 15 highest-paying jobs, with most earning more than $300,000 a year, according to a new report from LinkedIn.

The report, based on data gleaned from more than two million LinkedIn members in the United States, also found that healthcare is the only top-five paying industry with a greater proportion of women. The average salary for a medical doctor is $161,200, which is more than $80,000 higher than the average salaries of people with a four-year degree.

Physicians occupy the top six highest-paying jobs on the list, and eight of the top 15 spots. The total median compensation in the LinkedIn report includes median cash bonuses, which can vary from $25,000 to $90,000 based upon specialty. 

The physicians, their rank, and their median total compensation in the Top 15 highest-paying jobs include:

  1. Orthopedic surgeon, $450,000
  2. Cardiologist, $382,000
  3. Radiologist, $374,000
  4. Plastic surgeon, $350,000
  5. Anesthesiologist, $350,000
  6. Emergency surgeon, $314,000

Ophthalmologists and medical directors were 14th and 15th on the list, respectively, with each reporting median compensation of $250,000.

The findings are the latest in a long line of studies showing that physicians are the highest-paid occupation in the nation.

In April, the 2017 Medscape Physician Compensation Report, which compiled responses from more than 19,200 physicians in 27 specialties, found that orthopedic surgeons' annual compensation averaged $489,000, nearly $50,000 more than plastic surgeons, the second-highest average annual earners.

However, the survey also found that 48% of orthopedic surgeons felt they weren't "fairly compensated" for their labors, even as their income increased by an average of 10% in the past year, one of the highest rates of growth among specialists.

About half of physicians told MedScape they weren't satisfied with their compensation. Of those malcontents, 46% of primary care physicians and 41% of specialists said an increase of between 11% to 25% would make them happy.

A report in June from physician recruiters Merritt Hawkins also found that most physicians are seeing double-digit increases in their annual compensation. 

The top 11 best-paying jobs, as reported by U.S. News & World Report, were all in the healthcare sector. 

John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.


Get the latest on healthcare leadership in your inbox.