Internists working in the United States generally have salaries in the range from $106,500 to $214,920 a year including bonuses according to the salary figures provided by Payscale.
The annual bonuses for internal medicine doctors can amount to up to $20,000 a year, and the basic salary is usually in the range from $117,883 to $213,007 a year. Internists with a certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) generally earn between $122,649 and $219,122 a year according to Payscale’s data.
Average salary
The average salary for internal medicine physicians is $164,462 a year according to Payscale, $208,790 a year according to the recruitment firm Profiles, $165,057 according to Jobstat, $192,234 a year according to Salary.com, $185,000 a year according to Medscape’s 2013 Internist Compensation Report, and $191,520 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Jobstat reports that the highest salary recorded for internal medicine doctors is $217,724 and the lowest, $102,775 a year.
The salary information on Salary.com reveals that 10% of internists earn $152,983 a year or less, and 10% are paid $243,516 annually or more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that 10% of internal medicine doctors working in the U.S. earn at least $66,790 a year, and 25% make at least $137,310 a year.
Medscape’s salary survey shows that women earn $165,000 a year on average, and men have a median annual salary of $195,000, which translates into an 18% gap between male and female physicians.
The average yearly salary for internists varies from region to region. Physicians employed in the South Central region have the highest salaries — $210,000 a year on average – followed by those working in the North Central region, who earn a median salary of $201,000 a year, and internists employed in the Northwest, who make $200,000 a year on average.
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Internists’ salaries also depend on the work setting. Professionals working in multispecialty group practices have the highest salaries – around $203,000 a year – followed by those working in single-specialty group practices, who earn $196,000 a year on average. Internists employed at hospitals are paid a median yearly salary of $192,000, those working for healthcare organizations earn around $189,000 annually, and professionals working in a solo practice earn $173,000 a year on average. Internists employed at outpatient clinics have an average annual salary of $161,000, and those working in an academic setting are paid around $153,000 a year. Professionals working in other settings have a median yearly salary of $159,000 according to Medscape’s compensation survey.
Work situation is another factor that can significantly affect an internist’s salary. Internal medicine doctors who are partners in their organization earn an average annual income of $225,000, while those who are employees are paid around $177,000 annually. Internists who work as independent contractors receive a median yearly salary of $197,000, while those who own solo practices make $179,000 a year on average according to Medscape’s report.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that the top paying industries for internal medicine specialists are specialty hospitals (except psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals), where the median salary for the profession is $210,450 a year, followed by offices of physicians, where internists earn around $206,590 annually, and outpatient care centers, where the average salary for this occupation is $192,000 a year.
Internists employed at psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals earn around $186,460 a year, and those working at offices of other health practitioners make $181,370 a year on average according to the BLS data.
Internal medicine doctors employed at general medical and surgical hospitals earn an average annual salary of $157,630, those working in home health care services are paid around $171,990 a year, and professionals employed by universities, colleges, and professional schools earn $98,680 a year on average according to the BLS.
Salary by state
Internal medicine doctors’ salaries vary depending on geographical location, and can be significantly different from state to state. For example, internists employed in Illinois typically earn between $154,250 and $225,000 a year, and those working in New York generally report an annual pay in the range from $60,820 to $221,923. (Internists working in the city of New York are usually paid between $95,632 and $174,909 a year). Internal medicine specialists based in California earn between $137,569 and $193,302 annually, and professionals employed in Pennsylvania are typically paid between $119,498 and $163,182 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
The salary information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the top paying states for internal medicine physicians are South Dakota, where the average annual salary for the profession is $249,480, followed by Alaska, where internists earn a median yearly pay of $239,720, and Montana, where the average salary for this occupation is $237,100 a year. Internists based in Kansas earn around $329,260 annually, and those employed in the District of Columbia are paid around $234,340 a year according to the BLS.
Internal medicine doctors working in California make $201,140 a year on average, those based in Michigan earn around $129,010 a year, and professionals employed in Florida are paid around $217,900 a year. Internists in New York earn a median yearly salary of $148,200, and those working in Texas are paid $195,340 a year on average. Professionals employed in Massachusetts earn around $196,610 a year, and those working in Connecticut are paid $170,630 annually on average. Internists based in Hawaii make $227,250 a year on average, and those working in Vermont earn an average annual salary of $155,370 according to the salary figures provided by the BLS.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for internists in their first year on the job is $145,000 a year according to the recruitment agency Profiles.
Salary range
Internist salaries depend on a variety of factors, including professional experience. Internal medicine specialists with 1 to 4 years of experience typically earn an annual income in the range from $61,277 to $210,424, those with 10 to 19 years of experience make between $126,045 and $202,141 annually, and internists with 20 or more years of work experience under their belt are generally paid between $118,018 and $228,744 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale.
Internal medicine doctors’ annual salaries also vary from industry to industry. Internists working in the health care sector generally report earning an income in the range from $120,305 to $223,355 a year, and those employed at hospitals typically make between $122,829 and $180,804 a year. Professionals working at medical offices are usually paid between $147,371 and $196,527 annually, and those employed at internal medicine physicians’ offices report salaries in the range from $146,667 to $185,000 a year according to Payscale’s income statistics.
Women generally report earning a yearly income in the range from $137,020 to $219,780, while men typically make between $121,198 and $204,257 a year according to Payscale.
Medscape’s 2013 salary report shows that 16% of internists earn $100,000 a year or less, while 1% earn $500,000 or more. The highest percentage of internal medicine physicians (30%) earn between $150,000 and $200,000 annually, and 23% of internists are paid between $200,000 and $250,000 a year.
On the higher end of the scale, 1% of these professionals earn between $450,000 and $500,000 a year, 1% report an annual pay in the range from $400,000 to $450,000 a year, and 2% make between $350,000 and $400,000 a year. 5% of internists earn between $300,000 and $350,000 annually, and 9% are paid between $250,000 and $300,000 a year.
On the lower end of the scale, 11% of internists report salaries in the range from $100,000 to $150,000 a year.
Hourly wage
Internists with a certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) generally earn between $68.78 and $81.45 per hour according to Payscale’s salary data.
The median hourly wage for internal medicine doctors is $82.08 according to the salary information provided by Jobstat. The highest hourly rate recorded for internists is $108.27 and the lowest, $51.11.
Internal medicine physicians’ hourly wage varies from industry to industry. Internists working at physicians’ offices make $99.32 per hour on average, those working at outpatient care centers are paid around $92.40 per hour, and professionals employed at specialty hospitals (except psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals) earn an average hourly pay of $101.18. Internists working at psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals make $89.64 per hour on average, and those working at offices of other health practitioners are paid around $87.20 per hour. Professionals employed at general medical and surgical hospitals earn an average hourly pay of $75.79, those working in home health care services earn around $82.69 per hour, and internists employed by universities, colleges, and professional schools are paid $47.44 per hour on average according to the salary data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The hourly wage also varies from state to state. Internal medicine doctors employed in California earn a median hourly pay of $96.70, those based in New York make $71.25 per hour, and professionals employed in Florida are paid around $104.76 per hour. Internists working in Michigan earn around $62.02 per hour, those based in Texas earn an average hourly wage of $93.91, and physicians employed in Massachusetts are paid around $94.52 per hour. Internists working in Connecticut are paid around $82.04 per hour, those based in Vermont earn $74.70 per hour on average, and specialists working in Hawaii earn a median hourly pay of $109.25.
Physicians based in Alaska earn around $115.25 per hour, those working in South Dakota are paid around $119.94 per hour, and professionals working in Montana earn $113.99 per hour on average. Internists working in Kansas earn $113.60 per hour, and those based in the District of Columbia are paid around $112.66 per hour according to the salary figures provided by the BLS.
Benefits
Internal medicine doctors get a variety of perks and benefits along with their basic salary and bonus earnings, and their benefits packages can sometimes reflect their annual salary. Internists who get malpractice and liability insurance generally earn between $96,000 and $222,320 a year, those who have 401(k) plans make between $115,824 and $215,931 annually, and professionals who get paid vacations and holidays typically report an annual pay in the range from $116,350 to $220,397.
Internists who get life and disability insurance as part of their benefits package are generally paid between $92,373 and $218,238 a year, and those who have 403(b) plans report an average income in the range from $145,000 to $196,500 a year. Professionals who get reimbursement for professional education, training, certification, or tuition are usually paid between $122,868 and $188,666 a year according to the salary figures provided by Payscale.
The most popular benefits among internal medicine physicians are malpractice and liability insurance, 401(k) plans, paid vacations and holidays, life and disability insurance, paid sick leave, and 403(b) plans.
Other income factors
Internists’ salaries can also vary depending on the type of employer. Internal medicine physicians working at hospitals generally earn between $91,999 and $215,931 a year, those working for private practices and firms are typically paid between $122,238 and $200,000 annually, and professionals employed by non-profit organizations generally report earning salaries in the range from $150,570 to $211,267 a year. Internists working for the federal government typically make between $158,954 and $184,921 a year, and those employed by companies are paid between $131,000 and $206,000 a year according to Payscale’s data.
Hospital setting is one of the factors that can affect an internist’s salary. Professionals working at physicians’ offices and private practices usually report an annual pay in the range from $133,821 to $223,255, those employed at general hospitals typically earn between $127,171 and $179,094 annually, and internists working in ambulatory care and surgery centers are generally paid between $151,000 and $189,868 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Internal medicine physicians’ annual salaries can also vary depending on the size of organization that employs them. Internists working for organizations with 1 to 9 employees typically make between $125,000 and $190,000 a year, those working for organizations that employ 10 to 49 people are generally paid an annual income in the range from $130,869 to $163,998, and professionals working for organizations with 200 to 599 employees usually earn salaries in the range between $121,926 and $207,500 a year according to the salary statistics provided by Payscale. Internists working for organizations that employ 1 to 9 professionals generally report earning salaries in the range from $149,531 to $175,000 a year.
The number of hospital beds is another factor that can affect an internist’s yearly salary. For example, internal medicine doctors working at institutions with less than 50 beds typically earn between $153,627 and $188,212 a year, while those employed by institutions with 100 to 299 hospital beds are generally paid between $123,000 and $217,471 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale.