Physicians, Pathologists salary in the U.S.
Physicians, Pathologists in the U.S. earn a median of $312,400 a year ($150.19 an hour), based on BLS data for 11,110 workers.
Pay ranges from $92,540 for the lowest-paid 10% to $449,970 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $285,420, close to the median.
Pay range for physicians, pathologists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $92,540 | $44.49 |
| 25th percentile | $186,300 | $89.57 |
| Median | $312,400 | $150.19 |
| 75th percentile | $372,780 | $179.22 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $449,970 | $216.33 |
| Average (mean) | $285,420 | $137.22 |
Half of physicians, pathologists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $26,033.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $13,016.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $12,015.38 |
| Weekly | $6,007.69 |
| Hourly | $150.19 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Physicians, Pathologists salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $413,370 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $400,070 | 50 |
| Nevada | $384,350 | 40 |
| Illinois | $381,770 | n/a |
| Minnesota | $362,270 | 550 |
| New Jersey | $355,970 | 230 |
| Texas | $345,830 | 1,530 |
| Indiana | $340,300 | 380 |
| Arizona | $338,290 | 270 |
| Kentucky | $324,390 | n/a |
| Iowa | $323,460 | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $322,950 | n/a |
| New York | $321,550 | 1,220 |
| Oklahoma | $317,850 | 130 |
| Florida | $313,510 | 370 |
| Ohio | $309,480 | 600 |
| Michigan | $303,070 | 140 |
| Washington | $300,680 | 200 |
| Colorado | $294,510 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $285,240 | 320 |
| Missouri | $261,830 | n/a |
| Mississippi | $261,570 | 50 |
| Maryland | $253,670 | 70 |
| North Carolina | $248,940 | 340 |
| Virginia | $240,780 | 110 |
| North Dakota | $239,200+ | 30 |
| Oregon | $239,200+ | 150 |
| South Carolina | $236,950 | 80 |
| Nebraska | $229,140 | 90 |
| Kansas | $224,280 | 30 |
| Arkansas | $214,100 | 130 |
| Georgia | $211,800 | 170 |
| Vermont | $188,250 | n/a |
| California | $186,300 | 1,790 |
| Wisconsin | $83,610 | 130 |
Best-paying metro areas for physicians, pathologists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $384,550 | 30 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $373,420 | n/a |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $365,830 | 90 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $362,620 | n/a |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $362,470 | 100 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $349,470 | 220 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $342,090 | 260 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $336,660 | n/a |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $333,330 | 90 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $332,570 | 90 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $329,970 | n/a |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $327,770 | 1,140 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $319,880 | n/a |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $319,340 | 330 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $317,890 | 190 |
Metro areas with the most physicians, pathologists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,140 | $327,770 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 480 | $316,150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 330 | $319,340 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 280 | $239,200+ |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 260 | $342,090 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 240 | $285,240 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 230 | $291,510 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 220 | $349,470 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 190 | $317,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 140 | $300,580 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 100 | $239,200+ |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 100 | $283,430 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 100 | $362,470 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 90 | $332,570 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 90 | $365,830 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1222. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicians, pathologists make in the U.S.?
The median salary for physicians, pathologists in the U.S. is $312,400 a year, or $150.19 an hour. Pay ranges from $92,540 for the lowest-paid 10% to $449,970 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid physicians, pathologists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of physicians, pathologists in the U.S. earn at least $449,970 a year. The top 25% earn $372,780 or more.
What is the starting pay for physicians, pathologists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $92,540 a year, and a quarter of physicians, pathologists earn $186,300 or less.
How many physicians, pathologists work in the U.S.?
About 11,110 physicians, pathologists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.