Cardiologists, on the national level, command an average annual wage of $353,970, according to the … [+]
It is fairly well known among Americans that doctors tend to command some of the highest incomes in the country. However, what’s less well known is which kinds of doctors earn the most money. In order to identify the highest paying medical jobs, we analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Employment Statistics (OES), and isolated occupations that fall into their category Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations.
Read on to find out the highest paying medical jobs in 2022.
Looking at the highest paying medical jobs in 2022, seven jobs have average annual salaries in excess of $300,000. Perhaps not surprisingly, these healthcare occupations tend to be specialized, though more general physicians and dentists rank among the top 50 highest paying medical jobs as well. On the national level, the highest paying medical job are cardiologists. The average cardiologist salary is $353,970.
Below is a breakdown of the top 10 highest paying medical jobs in the United States:
Average cardiologist salary: $353,970
Average hourly cardiologist wage: $170.18
Total cardiologist employment: 18,610
Average anesthesiologist salary: $331,190
Average hourly anesthesiologist wage: $159.22
Total anesthesiologist employment: 31,130
Average oral and maxillofacial surgeon salary: $311,460
Average hourly oral and maxillofacial surgeon wage: $149.74
Total oral and maxillofacial surgeon employment: 5,330
Average emergency medicine physician salary: $310,640
Average hourly emergency medicine physician wage: $149.35
Total emergency medicine physician employment: 36,180
Average orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric salary: $306,220
Average hourly orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric wage: $147.22
Total orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric employment: 16,260
Average dermatologist salary: $302,740
Average hourly dermatologist wage: $145.55
Total dermatologist employment: 9,230
Average radiologist salary: $301,720
Average hourly radiologist wage: $145.06
Total radiologist employment: 29,530
Average surgeon salary: $297,800
Average hourly surgeon wage: $143.17
Total surgeon employment: 29,590
Average OBGYN salary: $296,210
Average hourly OBGYN wage: $142.41
Total OBGYN employment: 21,570
Average pediatric surgeon salary: $290,310
Average hourly pediatric surgeon wage: $139.57
Total pediatric surgeon employment: 820
There are some interesting trends when it comes to the highest paying medical jobs. For example, different industries have varying average pay for medical occupations compared to the industries that employ the most of certain medical occupations. So, when it comes to cardiologists, the industry that employs them the most is, not surprisingly, Offices of Physicians, which employs approximately 14,450 cardiologists. However, the industry in which cardiologists earn the most money is actually Outpatient Care Centers, where the average cardiologist salary is $366,520 — over than $10,000 more per year than the average for cardiologists overall. Outpatient Care Centers are also where anesthesiologists earn the most money industry-wise.
Another interesting trend is the increase in medical salaries year over year. Looking at 2020 to 2021, oral and maxillofacial surgeons have experienced the largest year-over-year growth in pay, 32.5%, from $234,990 in May 2020 to $311,460 in May 2021. Obstetricians and gynecologists’ salaries also experienced a substantial rise, increasing by 23.9%, from $239,120 in May 2020 to $296,210 in May 2021.
Meanwhile, the average prosthodontists salary dropped by a third (33.1%), from $214,870 in May 2020 to $143,730 in May 2021. In fact, many of the 50 highest paying medical jobs saw weak growth in wages year over year or outright declines. For instance, dentists, all other specialists, saw its average salary decline by 8%, from $194,930 in May 2020 to $179,400 in May 2021; dentists, general, also saw a year-over-year decline, with the average dentist salary declining by 7.6%, from $180,830 in May 2020 to $167,160 in May 2021.
Below you’ll find a table of the 50 highest paying medical jobs in the U.S. Included in the table are the occupation titles, average hourly wages, and average annual wages.
