Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$93K
P25$186K
P50$312K
P75$373K
P90$450K
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Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.3% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
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Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $312,395 to $372,778 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Physicians pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Hiring demand · HOT
Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.1% down to 5.3%).
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 4.9 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.
What changed recently
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.6% per year, the fastest of any major sector. Health benefit costs rose 6.0% nationally.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Physicians, Pathologists is $312,395 per year ($150.19/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $186,306 and $372,778 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $449,966 per year. There are approximately 11,110 physicians, pathologists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.2%
Faster than average
Annual openings
400
per year, on avg
Workforce today
13K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
12% from new growth88% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Internship/residency
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
4K
$312,140
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
NAICS 621500
3K
$329,560
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
2K
$314,080
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
580
$209,840
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
520
$258,360
Wage range across top 5 industries: $209,840 to $329,560 (57% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$44.49
$92,539
P25
$89.57
$186,306
P50MEDIAN
$150.19
$312,395
P75
$179.22
$372,778
P90
$216.33
$449,966
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.3%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings fell 147K to 1.35M in June, rate down from 5.9% to 5.3% -- the sector's biggest monthly cooling this year, though it remains the second-tightest market. Quits edged up to 1.9%; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average physicians, pathologists salary?
The national median salary for Physicians, Pathologists is $312,395 per year ($150.19/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $186,306 and $372,778 annually.
How much do top-earning physicians, pathologists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Physicians, Pathologists is $449,966 per year ($216.33/hr). The 75th percentile is $372,778 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for physicians, pathologists?
Entry-level Physicians, Pathologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $92,539 per year ($44.49/hr). The 25th percentile is $186,306 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
