Physician and surgeon compensation varies widely by state and provider type, according to the most recent data on provider compensation in the 2023 MGMA report.
Nonsurgical specialists experience the largest compensation range, with a difference of $429,138 between the highest- and lowest-paying states (Alabama and Nevada, respectively).
For the second consecutive year, primary care physicians in Mississippi outearn their counterparts in other states. Surgical specialists in South Dakota earn significantly more than their counterparts in Louisiana, and nonsurgical specialists report much higher earnings than those in Nevada.
Here are the top five highest- and lowest-paying states, including Washington, D.C., for median total compensation, by provider type:
Highest-paying
Primary Care
1. Mississippi
2. Arkansas
3. North Dakota
4. South Dakota
5. Indiana
Surgical specialist
1. South Dakota
2. Wyoming
3. North Dakota
4. South Carolina
5. Mississippi
Nonsurgical specialist
1. Alabama
2. North Dakota
3. Mississippi
4. Arkansas
5. South Dakota
Lowest-paying
Primary Care
47. Massachusetts
48. Maryland
49. Maine
50. Nevada
51. Washington, D.C.
Surgical specialist
47. Massachusetts
48. Tennessee
49. Georgia
50. New Hampshire
51. Louisiana
Nonsurgical specialist
47. Maine
48. Louisiana
49. Massachusetts
50. Idaho
51. Nevada
Range between highest- and lowest-paying states
Primary care: $141,727
Surgical specialist: $327,404
Nonsurgical specialist: $429,138