16 Best Paying Medical Specialties in America

The 16 best paying medical specialties in America may be proof that the long-standing argument of doctors being underpaid may just be unfounded.

There can be no argument that only a few professions are more rewarding than medicine, without even taking into consideration the salaries earned by such professionals. After all, you are in charge of lives, in charge of saving people under intense pressure and no amount of monetary compensation can even come close to the feeling you get when your actions result in life being saved, or in other situations, limiting the damage being done.

Of course, this is not an easy job by any means. You may end up saving hundreds of lives, but living under the realization that even one mistake may end up costing a life can be nerve wrecking. Furthermore, if such a mistake does occur, its effects can be devastating for a long time. On the other hand, on many occasions, there may simply be nothing that can be done, but even that can result in excruciating guilt. This is the main reason why people in the medical field are encouraged to avoid developing an emotional attachment with their patients, but that is easier said than done.

It is important to note that not all medical professionals deal with such life-threatening cases. Some, such as plastic surgeons can have clients who are not facing any risk at all.

Medical professionals in the United States have always been compensated well for their services. While this is excellent news for medical practitioners, the same cannot be said for those who have to pay for these services, as even a minor surgery can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Since there is no national healthcare in the country, such costs can even bankrupt many people.

It is a generally understood principle that family doctors and physicians earn much less than those who have specialized in their respective fields. Hence, we’ve considered the various medical specialties available as careers for medical professionals. On the other hand, if you want to know about the best medical specialties in terms of low competitiveness, don’t miss our article on 10 Least Competitive Medical Specialties in America. And, our data for the best paying medical specialties in America was obtained from the Medscape Physician Compensation Report for 2015. Without further ado, let’s see those highest paid medical specialties in the US! 

16. Gynecologist and Women’s Health

Average annual salary: $249,000

Earning almost a quarter of a million dollars,  a gynecologist can easily sustain a high-end lifestyle. A gynecologist focuses on the field of pregnancy, childbirth and even the time subsequent to childbirth, also known as the postpartum period. Not only are such gynecologists tasked with ensuring that pregnancies and childbirth take place without any problems, they are also responsible for dealing with any emergency that may arise in such a situation.

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15. Pathologist

Average annual salary: $267,000

Pathologists rank 15th in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. A pathologist focuses on the study of the causation of disease instead of its actual treatment. If a patient is brought to the hospital with various symptoms, the pathologist will try to identify the disease, via various tests such as examining the patient’s blood or searching for any abnormalities that may be present. Thus, pathologists are integral to identifying the cause of the symptoms, after which treatment can be provided to the patients. The ability to find the link between the symptoms is an important skill of a successful pathologist.

14. Critical Care

Average annual salary: $283,000

One of the most intensive and high-pressure medical fields out there, critical care, involves dealing with the management as well as diagnosis of conditions which are often life threatening. This specialty also involves sophisticated machinery such as invasive monitoring and organ support. Critical care medical practitioners can be called upon when a patient suffers from organ failure, and they may also be consulted immediately after an invasive, and critical surgery has taken place. Due to its complexity, critical care specialists in the US require a further fellowship even after completing the primary residency. Hence, these specialists work extremely hard to earn their compensation.

13. Ophthalmologist

Average annual salary: $292,000

Ophthalmologist jobs rank 13th in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. An ophthalmologist deals with conditions relating to the eyes, especially long term conditions. The eye is one of the most important organs in our system, and extremely sensitive as well, which is why extra caution and skills are needed to deal with conditions involving the eye. Furthermore, not only do ophthalmologists diagnose diseases pertaining to the eye, but they also perform surgeries on the eye, hence qualifying as both medical as well as surgical specialists. There are several famous ophthalmologists throughout the course of history, as this is an old field, including Jacques Daviel (father of cataract surgery) and Sir Harold Ridley, who was knighted for his services in this field.

12. Pulmonologist

Average annual salary: $296,000

There is a reason pulmonologists often earn nearly $300,000; they deal with diseases which affect the respiratory tract of the patient, and this field of medicine is considered to be related to intensive care or critical care medicine as well. Pulmonologists specialize in diseases affecting the chest, in particular, some of the most common and dangerous diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. While the actual surgery is left to thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists may often carry out specific incisions in order to obtain necessary samples from the lung or the chest.

In addition to the above, pulmonologists often partake in scientific research in respect of the respiratory system, which tends to look for explanations regarding the origins of various chest diseases as well as the most effective way to combat and prevent them.

11. Oncologist

Average annual salary: $302,000

Oncologists rank 11th in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. An oncologist deals with the most dreaded disease of them all, namely cancer. Specifically, an oncologist aims to further the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. Since cancer isn’t a specific disease distinct to a specific region, oncologists specialize in different types of cancers and meet at conferences to join efforts to fight the disease. Every patient’s situation is unique, thus, oncologists need to treat every new case differently and come up with a solution that will help them achieve their aim while minimizing the suffering of the patient as well. After all, it can be argued that there is little point to increasing the lifespan of a person if they have to spend it in excruciating pain.

Due to the consistent discoveries regarding cancer, its treatment is continually changing which is why oncologists are required to be aware of the most recent developments in order to properly treat their patients.

10. Emergency Physicians

Average annual salary: $306,000

Emergency physicians work in the emergency department of a hospital and are involved in the treatment of severely ill patients. Such physicians are well versed in cardiac life support as well as the treatment of fractures and tissue damage.

9. General surgeon

Average annual salary: $317,000

General surgeons, as the name suggests, conduct surgery relating to various diseases such as trauma, breast, skin and soft tissue, though their main focus is in the abdominal area, dealing with the colon, stomach, liver and bile ducts. General surgeons have the opportunity to further specialize in various disciplines such as trauma surgery and colorectal surgery.

8. Dermatologist

Average annual salary: $339,000

Dermatologists rank 8th in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. A dermatologist is responsible for dealing with diseases and cosmetic issues pertaining to the skin, hair, and nails. It has both surgical and medical aspects.

7. Urologist

Average annual salary: $344,000

A urologist focuses on diseases pertaining to the urinary tract of the patient as well as the male reproductive organs.

6. Radiologist

Average annual salary: $351,000

A radiologist makes use of medical imaging to be able to detect diseases which exist within the body and are not completely visible otherwise.

5. Plastic Surgeon

Average annual salary: $354,000

While plastic surgeons are often required for restoring function to limbs or parts of patients, which may otherwise not operate at their optimum, another popular reason people prefer plastic surgeons is to beautify themselves and use surgery to cover up any blemishes they may feel ruin their appearance.

4. Anesthesiologist

Average annual salary: $358,000

Anesthesiologists rank 4th in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. You may be surprised to find that anesthesiologists earn such a handsome salary, but their thankless tasks are essential, which include taking care of the patient before, during and after the surgery, which includes the provision of anesthesia, of course.

3. Gastroenterologist

Average annual salary: $370,000

With digestive problems becoming more common by the day, it is not surprising that gastroenterologists are one of the highest paid medical specialists in the world. These specialists generally work in private clinics rather than hospitals.

2. Cardiologists

Average annual salary: $376,000

Cardiologists rank second in our list of the best paying medical specialties in America. Cardiologists deal with diseases pertaining to the heart, and there is intense pressure in this field because sometimes there is little time to combat a particular disease.

1. Orthopedist

Average annual salary: $421,000

Easily topping the list of 16 best paying medical specialties in America, orthopedists, known more popularly as bone doctors, deal with the skeletal system, especially the spine as well as the extremities. In addition, orthopedists also deal with ligaments and muscles, which is why they are so highly regarded.