🩺 US physician median salary in 2026: Family Medicine $287K, Hospital Medicine $310K, Emergency Medicine $388K, Anesthesiology $501K, Radiology $526K, Interventional Cardiology $630K. Enter your specialty and experience below for exact estimate — free, no signup.
🩺 Free MD Salary Calculator — US Physician Compensation
Your MD Salary Estimate
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⚠️ Estimates only. Actual salary depends on practice type, wRVU bonus, benefits and contract terms.
Highest paid: Interventional Cardiology ($630K), Ortho Surgery ($564K)
Primary care: Family Medicine ($287K), Internal Medicine ($287K)
Each year of experience adds ~3% to base salary
High-cost areas pay ~20% more; low-cost areas ~20% less
Private practice pays 15-40% more than employed (surgical specialties)
ℹ️ This free MD salary calculator uses 2026 US physician benchmarks from Medscape, MGMA and Doximity. Enter specialty, experience, hours and location to estimate annual salary. Updated November 2026.
Example: Interventional Cardiology, 10 years, 50 hours, high cost = $630K × 1.3 × 1.25 × 1.2 = $1,228,500.
What is the MD Salary Calculator?
The MD Salary Calculator estimates physician annual salary based on specialty, experience, work hours and location cost [citation:1]. It uses 2026 US benchmarks from Medscape, MGMA and Doximity [citation:2][citation:19].
How does it work? Select your specialty, enter years of experience, weekly hours and location factor. The calculator instantly shows estimated salary, monthly pay and hourly rate.
Why Do Specialties Pay Differently?
Surgical and procedural specialties (Interventional Cardiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Radiology) earn the most because they require longer training, generate higher practice revenue and face greater shortages [citation:12].
Primary care (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics) earns less despite being the backbone of the healthcare system. Medicare reimbursement policies and lower procedure revenue drive this gap [citation:12].
Employed vs Private Practice
Private practice physicians typically earn 15-40% more than employed physicians in the same specialty, especially in surgical fields [citation:2]. But private practice carries business risk, overhead costs and administrative burden.
Employed physicians (hospital systems, academic centers) earn less but get benefits, malpractice coverage, retirement match and predictable hours [citation:18].
What the Calculator Does Not Include
wRVU bonuses: 10-35% of base salary for productivity [citation:18]
Signing bonuses: $25,000-$200,000+ depending on specialty and market [citation:8]
Benefits: retirement match, health insurance, CME allowance ($40K-$87K value) [citation:18]
Student loan repayment: some employers offer $50K-$150K
Why Use Our MD Salary Calculator?
Our free MD salary calculator uses real 2026 US benchmarks. It runs entirely in your browser — no data stored, no sign-up. Whether you're a resident planning your career or an attending evaluating an offer, this tool gives you a clear estimate in seconds.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an MD make in the US?
US physician median salary in 2026 is about $287,000 for family medicine, $310,000 for hospital medicine, $388,000 for emergency medicine, $501,000 for anesthesiology, $526,000 for radiology, and $630,000 for interventional cardiology. Surgical specialists earn more than primary care.
How is MD salary calculated?
Formula: Base salary × (1 + 0.03 × years of experience) × (weekly hours ÷ 40) × location factor. Example: Cardiology base $500K, 10 years, 50 hours, high cost = $500K × 1.3 × 1.25 × 1.2 = $975K.
What is the highest-paying MD specialty?
Interventional Cardiology and Orthopedic Surgery are the highest-paid specialties in 2026, with median salaries around $630,000 and $564,000 respectively. Private practice can exceed $1 million for these specialties.
How much does a cardiologist make?
Interventional cardiology median is $630,000 (employed range $520K-$780K, private practice $630K-$1.1M+). Non-invasive cardiology median is $520,000. Salary varies by experience, location and practice type.
How much does a family medicine doctor make?
Family medicine median is $287,000 in 2026. Employed range is $235K-$315K. Private practice range is $270K-$390K. Rural and shortage markets pay 10-25% above urban averages.
Does experience increase MD salary?
Yes. Each year of experience adds about 3% to base salary. A physician with 20 years of experience earns about 60% more than an entry-level physician in the same specialty, before other factors.
How does location affect MD salary?
High cost-of-living areas (San Francisco, New York, Boston) pay about 20% more. Low cost areas (rural Midwest, South) pay about 20% less. But purchasing power may be higher in low-cost areas despite lower nominal salary.
What is the difference between employed and private practice salary?
Private practice physicians typically earn 15-40% more than employed physicians in the same specialty, especially in surgical and procedural specialties. But private practice carries business risk and overhead costs.
How much do residents make?
Residents earn $55,000-$75,000 per year, depending on PGY level and location. This is much lower than attending physician salary. Fellowship adds 1-3 years at similar pay before attending salary begins.
What is wRVU and how does it affect pay?
wRVU (work Relative Value Unit) is a productivity metric. Many physician contracts include a base salary plus wRVU bonus. Productivity bonuses typically add 10-35% on top of base salary. This calculator estimates base salary only.
How much does a surgeon make?
General surgery median is $440,000. Orthopedic surgery median is $564,000. Surgical subspecialties (neurosurgery, plastic surgery) can exceed $700,000. Private practice surgical salaries are higher than employed.
Is MD salary growing in 2026?
Yes. Median total compensation rose about 1.5%-3% in 2026, depending on specialty. Primary care compensation has risen for four consecutive years. However, Medicare reimbursement has declined 33% since 2001 when adjusted for practice costs.
💡 Expert Tips for Physician Compensation
Tip #1: Base salary is only 60-70% of total compensation. Always ask about wRVU bonus, signing bonus, benefits and retirement match.
Tip #2: Cost of living matters. A $400K salary in San Francisco has the purchasing power of ~$280K in Nashville [citation:18].
Tip #3: Rural and shortage markets pay 10-25% above urban averages, often with loan repayment and signing bonuses [citation:8].
Tip #4: Private practice pays more but carries business risk. Employed positions offer stability and benefits.
Tip #5: Productivity bonuses can add 10-35% to your base. Understand your wRVU targets before signing.
Tip #6: Negotiate. Signing bonuses range from $25K (urban primary care) to $200K+ (surgical shortage markets) [citation:8].
🩺 Still Asking "How Much Do I Make as an MD?"
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🛡️ CDCalculators MD salary calculator — data sources: Medscape 2025, MGMA DataDive 2025, Doximity 2025, USCEHub 2025-2026. Last updated November 12, 2026. Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual salary depends on practice type, contract terms and market conditions.