- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some medical specialties have higher salaries than others.
- General practitioners, including family doctors and pediatricians, are among the highest-paid doctors.
- Dentists, orthodontists, and prosthodontists also have high salaries.
- Anesthesiologists are paid more than any other type of doctor.
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We tend to assume everyone sporting a lab coat and stethoscope is bringing home the big bucks – and that’s certainly more true for doctors in some medical specialties than it is for doctors in others.
For instance, the average optometrist makes $119,980 a year, while the average surgeon earns double that.
Here are the top 15 highest-paying jobs for medical doctors, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
15. Optometrists
Average annual income: $119,980
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +27%
What they do: Optometrists examine the eyes and other parts of the visual system; diagnose and treat visual problems and manage diseases, injuries, and other disorders of the eyes; and prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to patients.
14. Podiatrists
Average annual income: $148,220
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Podiatrists provide medical care for people with foot, ankle, and lower-leg problems; they diagnose illnesses; treat injuries; and perform surgery involving the lower extremities.
13. General dentists
Average annual income: $175,840
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +18%
What they do: Dentists diagnose and treat problems with patients' teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth. They also provide advice for taking care of the teeth and gums.
12. Dentists (all other specialists)
Average annual income: $178,800
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +18%
What they do: "All other specialists" are dentists who are not listed separately.
11. General pediatricians
Average annual income: $183,240
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Pediatricians diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
10. Prosthodontists
Average annual income: $191,400
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +18%
What they do: Prosthodontists construct oral prostheses to replace missing teeth and other oral structures to correct deformations of the mouth and jaws.
9. General internists
Average annual income: $196,490
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: General internists diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems.
8. Physicians or surgeons (all other)
Average annual income: $203,880
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: "All other" physicians and surgeons are those not listed separately. They typically provide medical care and/or perform surgical procedures on patients.
7. Family and general practitioners
Average annual income: $211,780
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Family and general practitioners diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.
6. Psychiatrists
Average annual income: $220,380
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Psychiatrists diagnose, treat, and help prevent disorders of the mind.
5. Orthodontists
Average annual income: $225,760
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +18%
What they do: Orthodontists examine, diagnose, and treat dental misalignments and oral-cavity anomalies; and design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws.
4. Obstetricians and gynecologists
Average annual income: $238,320
Growth outlook (2014-2024):+14%
What they do: Obstetricians and gynecologists provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth, and diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases that affect women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system.
3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Average annual income: $242,370
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +18%
What they do: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions to treat diseases, injuries, or defects.
2. Surgeons
Average annual income: $255,110
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Surgeons treat diseases, injuries, and deformities by invasive, minimally invasive, or noninvasive surgical methods, such as using instruments, appliances, or by manual manipulation.
1. Anesthesiologists
Average annual income: $267,020
Growth outlook (2014-2024): +14%
What they do: Anesthesiologists administer anesthetics prior to, during, or after surgery, or other medical procedures.