Physicians, Pathologists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physicians, pathologistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $285,420 ≈ $137/hr
National median salary $312,400
Total employment 11,110 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.2%
Faster than average
Annual openings 400 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 12,600 → 13,100 (+500)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Illinois$381,560
- Pennsylvania$369,170
- Minnesota$368,860
- Oklahoma$333,340
- Rhode Island$315,010
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Wisconsin$182,820
- Georgia$205,020
- California$221,080
- Arkansas$221,970
- Michigan$241,850
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $381,560 | $381,770 | $183 | +33.7% | — |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $369,170 | $413,370 | $177 | +29.3% | 210 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $368,860 | $362,270 | $177 | +29.2% | 550 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $333,340 | $317,850 | $160 | +16.8% | 130 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $315,010 | $322,950 | $151 | +10.4% | — |
| 6 | New York | $309,660 | $321,550 | $149 | +8.5% | 1,220 |
| 7 | Texas | $308,250 | $345,830 | $148 | +8% | 1,530 |
| 8 | Arizona | $305,920 | $338,290 | $147 | +7.2% | 270 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $302,180 | $324,390 | $145 | +5.9% | — |
| 10 | Kansas | $300,560 | $224,280 | $145 | +5.3% | 30 |
| 11 | Indiana | $299,840 | $340,300 | $144 | +5.1% | 380 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $298,760 | $355,970 | $144 | +4.7% | 230 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $295,150 | $400,070 | $142 | +3.4% | 50 |
| 14 | Maryland | $290,540 | $253,670 | $140 | +1.8% | 70 |
| 15 | Ohio | $290,130 | $309,480 | $139 | +1.7% | 600 |
| 16 | Iowa | $289,700 | $323,460 | $139 | +1.5% | 80 |
| 17 | Florida | $285,800 | $313,510 | $137 | +0.1% | 370 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $285,200 | $248,940 | $137 | -0.1% | 340 |
| 19 | Washington | $281,820 | $300,680 | $135 | -1.3% | 200 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $281,410 | $285,240 | $135 | -1.4% | 320 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $278,740 | $236,950 | $134 | -2.3% | 80 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $273,380 | $261,570 | $131 | -4.2% | 50 |
| 23 | Missouri | $270,470 | $261,830 | $130 | -5.2% | — |
| 24 | Nebraska | $269,160 | $229,140 | $129 | -5.7% | 90 |
| 25 | Vermont | $267,460 | $188,250 | $129 | -6.3% | — |
| 26 | Colorado | $255,230 | $294,510 | $123 | -10.6% | 50 |
| 27 | Nevada | $249,720 | $384,350 | $120 | -12.5% | 40 |
| 28 | Virginia | $245,900 | $240,780 | $118 | -13.8% | 110 |
| 29 | Michigan | $241,850 | $303,070 | $116 | -15.3% | 140 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $221,970 | $214,100 | $107 | -22.2% | 130 |
| 31 | California | $221,080 | $186,300 | $106 | -22.5% | 1,790 |
| 32 | Georgia | $205,020 | $211,800 | $99 | -28.2% | 170 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $182,820 | $83,610 | $88 | -35.9% | 130 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 45 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $384,550 | $297,640 | 30 |
| 2 | Corpus Christi, TX | $373,420 | $318,070 | — |
| 3 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $365,830 | $301,870 | 90 |
| 4 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $362,620 | $291,820 | — |
| 5 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $362,470 | $345,500 | 100 |
| 6 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $349,470 | $323,670 | 220 |
| 7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $342,090 | $313,590 | 260 |
| 8 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $336,660 | $339,170 | — |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $333,330 | $308,000 | 90 |
| 10 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $332,570 | $340,620 | 90 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physicians, pathologistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $383,560 | $321,970 | 40 |
| 2 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $332,460 | $293,880 | 1,920 |
| 3 | Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $329,560 | $324,710 | 3,140 |
| 4 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $327,560 | $291,130 | 2,020 |
| 5 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $323,620 | $304,780 | 7,150 |
| 6 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $322,620 | $299,170 | 9,360 |
| 7 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $319,330 | $295,660 | 9,810 |
| 8 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $314,080 | $283,100 | 2,090 |
| 9 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $312,400 | $285,420 | 11,110 |
| 10 | Offices of Physicians | $312,140 | $288,870 | 3,940 |
| 11 | Hospitals | $305,600 | $281,130 | 2,200 |
| 12 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $290,490 | $286,630 | 130 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physicians, pathologists make in the U.S.?
The median physicians, pathologists salary in the United States is $312,400 per year (mean $285,420), and about 80% earn between $92,540 and $449,970.
How much do physicians, pathologists make per hour?
Roughly $137 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $285,420 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physicians, pathologists the most?
Illinois has the highest average pay for physicians, pathologists at $381,560 per year (median $381,770).
What is the job outlook for physicians, pathologists?
Employment is projected to change +4.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 400 openings per year.
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