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Physician Salary Guide 2026

Comprehensive compensation data across 17 medical specialties. Updated salary ranges, sign-on bonuses, and market trends for healthcare recruiters.

$425,984
Average Physician Salary
$45,882
Avg. Sign-On Bonus
+3.4%
Avg. YoY Salary Growth

Fastest Growing Salaries

1Psychiatry
+5.8%
2Family Medicine
+4.5%
3Neurology
+4.5%
4Neurosurgery
+4.2%
5Pediatrics
+4.2%

Very High Demand Specialties

Neurosurgery
$763,908
Orthopedic Surgery
$654,815
Cardiology
$520,000
Psychiatry
$287,000
Family Medicine
$255,000
Internal Medicine
$273,000
Neurology
$313,000

All Specialty Salary Guides

Neurosurgery$763,908
Bonus: $50,000-$150,000
+4.2%Very High
Orthopedic Surgery$654,815
Bonus: $40,000-$100,000
+3.8%Very High
Cardiology$520,000
Bonus: $30,000-$75,000
-1.0%Very High
Gastroenterology$512,000
Bonus: $30,000-$75,000
+2.5%High
Radiology$503,000
Bonus: $25,000-$70,000
+3.1%High
Urology$497,000
Bonus: $30,000-$75,000
+2.9%High
Dermatology$455,000
Bonus: $25,000-$60,000
+3.2%High
Oncology$437,000
Bonus: $25,000-$65,000
+3.5%High
Anesthesiology$421,000
Bonus: $25,000-$75,000
+2.8%High
Pulmonology$418,000
Bonus: $25,000-$60,000
+4.1%High
Emergency Medicine$352,000
Bonus: $20,000-$50,000
+2.1%High
OB/GYN$336,000
Bonus: $20,000-$55,000
+3.4%High
Neurology$313,000
Bonus: $20,000-$50,000
+4.5%Very High
Psychiatry$287,000
Bonus: $20,000-$50,000
+5.8%Very High
Internal Medicine$273,000
Bonus: $15,000-$45,000
+3.8%Very High
Family Medicine$255,000
Bonus: $15,000-$40,000
+4.5%Very High
Pediatrics$244,000
Bonus: $15,000-$35,000
+4.2%High

Understanding Physician Compensation in 2026

Physician salaries vary significantly by specialty, with neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons commanding the highest compensation at over $650,000 annually. Primary care specialties like family medicine and pediatrics earn less but offer better work-life balance and high job satisfaction.

Key factors affecting physician compensation include:

  • Geographic location - Coastal cities and underserved rural areas often pay premium rates
  • Practice setting - Private practice vs employed positions have different compensation models
  • Subspecialty training - Additional fellowship training typically increases earning potential
  • Production metrics - RVU-based compensation rewards high-volume providers
  • Market demand - Shortage specialties command higher salaries and sign-on bonuses

For healthcare recruiters, understanding these compensation benchmarks is essential for crafting competitive offers. Our salary guides provide detailed breakdowns by specialty to help you attract top physician talent.

Data Sources & How to Cite

This salary guide compiles data from Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2026, Doximity Physician Compensation Report 2026, and MGMA DataDive Provider Compensation 2025. All figures represent national averages and may vary by location, experience, and practice setting.

Cite this data:

RecruitPhysician. "Physician Salary Guide 2026: Compensation by Specialty." RecruitPhysician.com, January 2026, https://recruitphysician.com/resources/salary-guide

Healthcare journalists and researchers: Contact us at press@recruitphysician.com for additional data or expert commentary.

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