According to the "2022 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives" provided by AMN Healthcare's physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins, orthopedic surgery offers the highest average base salary while pediatrics offers the lowest. Noninvasive cardiology offers the highest overall base salary earning potential, with the high end of its base salary at $1 million.
The review was created using a representative sample of 2,695 permanent physician and advanced practitioner search engagements that were ongoing or conducted by Merritt Hawkins/AMN Healthcare's physician staffing companies from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
The following figures are the low, average and high base salary ranges offered for 14 physician specialties during the 2022 period.
1. Obstetrics/Gynecology:
Low: $138,000
Average: $321,000
High: $520,000
2. Internal Medicine:
Low: $180,000
Average: $255,000
High: $375,000
3. Anesthesiology:
Low: $260,000
Average: $400,000
High: $500,000
4. Cardiology (noninvasive):
Low: $300,000
Average: $484,000
High: $1,000,000
5. Cardiology (interventional)
Low: $425,000
Average: $527,000
High: $668,000
6. Gastroenterology:
Low: $216,000
Average: $474,000
High: $600,000
7. Hematology/Oncology:
Low: $215,000
Average: $404,000
High: $590,000
8. Pulmonology/Critical Care:
Low: $212,000
Average: $412,000
High: $650,000
9. Pediatrics:
Low: $200,000
Average: $232,000
High: $412,000
10. Orthopedic Surgery
Low: $400,000
Average: $565,000
High: $790,000
11. Urology:
Low: $400,000
Average: $510,000
High: $600,000
12. Neurology:
Low: $275,000
Average: $356,000
High: $525,000
13. Rheumatology:
Low: $200,000
Average: $258,000
High: $325,000
14. Oral Maxillofacial Surgery
Low: $300,000
Average: $368,000
High: $450,000