OK, so you think you may have found your passion in life – becoming a physician or a surgeon.

However, the million-dollar question is…

How much will I earn per year as a physician or a surgeon?

We will share more information on physician and surgeon salaries with you, but there are some other things to consider first:

Is being a physician or a surgeon a growing or a dying career?

How are the employment prospects for a physician or a surgeon?

And where is the best place to live and get paid as a physician or a surgeon?

Keep reading and, hopefully, we can answer some of these questions for you.

What kind of salary can I expect?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for physicians and surgeons was equal to or greater than $208,000 in May 2017. By the term “median wage,” we mean that half the workers in the occupation earned more than this.

What are the highest paying states for physicians and surgeons?

The salaries can vary to a great degree for physicians and surgeons depending on their specialty. The following data is for the category Physicians and Surgeons, All Other, as classified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These are the 5 highest paying states. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. New Hampshire – $132.24 per hour / $275,050 per year
  2. South Dakota – $124.17 per hour / $258,280 per year
  3. Alaska – $123.38 per hour / $256,630 per year
  4. North Dakota – $123.00 per hour / $255,840 per year
  5. Hawaii – $122.80 per hour / $255,410 per year

What are the lowest paying states for physicians and surgeons?

The salaries can vary to a great degree for physicians and surgeons depending on their specialty. The following data is for the category Physicians and Surgeons, All Other, as classified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These are the 5 lowest paying states/territories. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. Puerto Rico – $63.72 per hour / $132,550 per year
  2. Virgin Islands – $72.41 per hour / $150,620 per year
  3. Nebraska – $80.40 per hour / $167,230 per year
  4. New York – $86.08 per hour / $179,040 per year
  5. Arkansas – $86.71 per hour / $180,350 per year

What is the Career Ranking for this job?

Well, according to usnews.com, becoming a physician or a surgeon is exceptionally fulfilling. They analyze a boatload of data about salary, unemployment rate, and stress to select the top jobs for each year.

Physicians are ranked:

  • #6 in Best Health Care Jobs
  • #6 in Best Paying Jobs
  • #8 in The 100 Best Jobs

Surgeons are ranked:

  • #11 in Best Health Care Jobs
  • #2 in Best Paying Jobs
  • #13 in The 100 Best Jobs

What is the growth potential as a physician or a surgeon?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical job growth in a sector is 7%. The job growth for physicians and surgeons between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 13%, adding 91,400 new jobs. That is faster than the market average!

What are the unemployment figures like for physicians and surgeons?

When looking at a career to get into, it is a good idea to factor in data on how long you can stay employed. Physicians and surgeons have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the US. According to usnews.com, the unemployment rate for physicians is only 0.5%, and that for surgeons is 5%.

The bottom line: Becoming a physician or a surgeon is not just a rewarding career; it is a growing and lucrative one, too.