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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Not all Physician salaries are created equal. The national median salary for Physicians in 2026 is $266,880, with entry-level positions averaging $133,440 and senior roles reaching $440,353. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $487,600, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Physician falls within the Healthcare sector, specifically in Healthcare. The typical education path involves Medical degree + residency. The career outlook? High demand. Work style is clinical — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
$296,700 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Physician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $487,600 — $296,700 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($190,900). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
The three-tier salary picture for Physicians in 2026: $133,440 at entry (P10), $266,880 at midpoint, and $440,353 at the senior end (P90). But raw salary is only half the story. The $306,913 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $186,513 above the national median household income of $80,367.
The state breakdown adds another layer. The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $455,400 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $192,433. That $262,967 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
A Physician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $487,600 — $296,700 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($190,900). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Physician is $133,440, while senior-level (P90) earners average $440,353. That $306,913 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Physicians at $323,093 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $284,050) is $39,043.
At the 90th percentile, Physicians pull in an average of $440,353. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $133,440 | $266,880 | $440,353 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £103,641 | £143,945 | £204,402 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$163,088 | CA$226,511 | CA$321,645 |
| Australia | 13 | A$189,798 | A$263,609 | A$374,324 |
| Sweden | 24 | 1,095,390 kr | 1,521,375 kr | 2,160,352 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $161,547 | $323,093 | $533,104 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $156,113 | $312,225 | $515,171 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $155,250 | $310,500 | $512,325 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $143,750 | $287,500 | $474,375 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $142,025 | $284,050 | $468,683 |
| Washington | 8 | $139,294 | $278,588 | $459,669 |
| New York | 5 | $131,100 | $262,200 | $432,630 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $131,100 | $262,200 | $432,630 |
| Florida | 22 | $130,107 | $260,214 | $429,353 |
| Colorado | 11 | $127,859 | $255,718 | $421,935 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $127,650 | $255,300 | $421,245 |
| Nevada | 5 | $127,420 | $254,840 | $420,486 |
| Arizona | 12 | $126,788 | $253,575 | $418,399 |
| Oregon | 5 | $126,500 | $253,000 | $417,450 |
| Idaho | 3 | $126,117 | $252,233 | $416,185 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $125,120 | $250,240 | $412,896 |
| Utah | 4 | $124,775 | $249,550 | $411,758 |
| Virginia | 7 | $122,721 | $245,443 | $404,981 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $121,133 | $242,267 | $399,740 |
| Alaska | 1 | $120,750 | $241,500 | $398,475 |
| Illinois | 5 | $119,370 | $238,740 | $393,921 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $116,406 | $232,811 | $384,138 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $115,000 | $230,000 | $379,500 |
| Montana | 1 | $115,000 | $230,000 | $379,500 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $114,617 | $229,233 | $378,235 |
| Texas | 40 | $114,051 | $228,103 | $376,369 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $113,850 | $227,700 | $375,705 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $113,275 | $226,550 | $373,808 |
| Georgia | 6 | $112,892 | $225,783 | $372,543 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $112,700 | $225,400 | $371,910 |
| Kansas | 4 | $112,125 | $224,250 | $370,013 |
| Michigan | 6 | $111,742 | $223,483 | $368,748 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $110,400 | $220,800 | $364,320 |
| Maryland | 1 | $110,400 | $220,800 | $364,320 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $109,250 | $218,500 | $360,525 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $109,250 | $218,500 | $360,525 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $106,375 | $212,750 | $351,038 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $105,800 | $211,600 | $349,140 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $104,363 | $208,725 | $344,396 |
| Missouri | 4 | $104,363 | $208,725 | $344,396 |
| Alabama | 5 | $103,960 | $207,920 | $343,068 |
| Indiana | 3 | $102,350 | $204,700 | $337,755 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $102,350 | $204,700 | $337,755 |
| Iowa | 2 | $101,200 | $202,400 | $333,960 |
| Ohio | 6 | $101,008 | $202,017 | $333,328 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $96,600 | $193,200 | $318,780 |
The state salary map for Physicians: California at $323,093, Massachusetts at $312,225, Hawaii at $310,500 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($193,200), Ohio ($202,017), Iowa ($202,400) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $129,893.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($487,600 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $230,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $487,600 | 212 | $230,000 | $244,413 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $455,400 | 198 | $230,000 | $230,229 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $423,200 | 184 | $230,000 | $216,045 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $416,300 | 181 | $230,000 | $213,005 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $409,400 | 178 | $230,000 | $209,966 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $407,100 | 177 | $230,000 | $208,953 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $407,100 | 177 | $230,000 | $208,953 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $397,900 | 173 | $230,000 | $204,900 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $397,900 | 173 | $230,000 | $204,900 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $388,700 | 169 | $230,000 | $200,848 |
The $306,913 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Physician career. Senior-level earners make 3.3× what entry-level professionals do — an aggressive growth curve that rewards experience and specialization. In the Healthcare sector, high demand, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Physicians is $266,880 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $133,440, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $440,353.
The highest-paying city for Physicians is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $487,600. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($487,600), Santa Clara ($455,400), Irvine ($423,200). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Physician salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $190,900. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Physicians (10th percentile) average $133,440 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $243,800. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Physicians average $440,353 nationally — $306,913 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Physicians can earn up to $804,540.
The top-paying states for Physicians are California ($323,093 median), Massachusetts ($312,225 median), Hawaii ($310,500 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Physician involves Medical degree + residency. The field is in the Healthcare sector (Healthcare), and the career outlook is high demand. Work style is typically clinical.
With a national median of $266,880 and representation across 288 metro areas, Physician offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $306,913 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: high demand.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.