Nephrologists working in the United States generally earn salaries in the range from $133,955 to $307,322 a year including bonuses, which can amount to up to $55,000 a year according to the salary information provided by Payscale. The basic annual salaries for nephrology doctors are typically in the range from $117,763 to $251,792.
Nephrologists with a certification in nephrology from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) generally earn an income in the range between $122,339 and $257,605 a year.
Average salary
The average salary for nephrologists employed in the United States is $190,838 a year according to Payscale, $252,000 a year according to the recruitment agency Profiles, $183,068 a year according to Jobstat, $219,182 a year according to Salary.com, and $263,000 a year according to Medscape’s 2013 Nephrologist Compensation Report.
The salary data on Salary.com indicates that 10% of nephrologists earn $166,484 a year or less, and the 10% best paid physicians make $278,219 a year or more. The highest yearly wage recorded by Jobstat is $288,899, and the lowest is $102,556. Medscape’s salary survey reveals that men earn 13% more than women: the median yearly salary for men is $242,000, while women earn $214,000 a year on average.
Nephrologist salaries also depend on geographical location and can vary significantly from region to region. The best paid nephrologists are those employed in the Southwest, where the average salary for the profession is $289,000 a year, followed by physicians working in the West, where the median annual pay is $263,000, and nephrology doctors based in the South Central region, who earn around $240,000 a year.
Physicians based in the Northwest make $234,000 a year on average, those employed in the North Central region are paid around $231,000 annually, and nephrologists working in the Southeast earn $235,000 a year on average. Professionals based in the Mid-Atlantic region are paid around $222,000 annually, and those working in the North East earn an average annual pay of $208,000. The lowest salaries for this occupation are in the Great Lakes region, where the median yearly salary for nephrologists is $180,000 a year according to Medscape’s compensation survey.
Nephrology physicians’ annual income also depends on the work setting. Nephrologists working in outpatient clinics have the highest salaries — $300,000 a year on average — followed by physicians working in solo practices, who earn around $297,000 a year.
Nephrologists working in single-specialty group practices are paid $283,000 a year on average, and those employed in multispecialty group practices earn around $259,000 annually. Professionals employed by healthcare organizations receive a median yearly pay of $251,000, and those working in an academic setting are paid around $170,000 a year. Nephrologists working at hospitals earn $149,000 annually, and those employed in other settings have a median annual salary of $232,000 according to Medscape’s report.
Work situation is another factor that can significantly affect a nephrologist’s salary. Physicians who are partners in their organizations have the top salaries – around $302,000 a year – followed by owners of solo practices, who earn $267,000 annually on average. Nephrologists who are employees in their organization have an average annual salary of $177,000, and those who work as independent contractors earn $115,000 a year on average according to Medscape.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for nephrologists is $180,000 a year according to the salary data provided by the recruitment firm Profiles. Nephrology specialists in their first year on the job generally report an annual pay in the range from $122,084 to $176,874 according to Payscale’s salary figures. These professionals are paid $9,826 a year on average in bonuses.
Salary range
The salary range for nephrology physicians depends on a number of factors, including years of professional experience. Nephrologists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally make between $122,554 and $244,679 a year, those with 5 to 9 years of experience are typically paid between $117,916 and $228,907 a year, and physicians with 10 to 19 years of experience report a yearly income in the range from $101,367 to $295,898 according to Payscale’s income statistics.
Image: © Nevit Dilmen
Nephrologist salaries also vary depending on the type of employer. Physicians employed by private practices and firms usually earn between $121,356 and $237,500 a year, those working at hospitals are paid between $176,874 and $203,473 annually, and nephrologists employed by universities and colleges report an annual pay in the range from $144,520 to $242,975 according to Payscale’s salary data.
Medscape’s 2012 salary report reveals that 11% of nephrologists earn $100,000 a year or less, while 1% of these professionals earn $600,000 a year or more. 16% of nephrology doctors earn between $200,000 and $250,000 a year, and another 16% are paid between $250,000 and $300,000 a year.
On the higher end of the scale, 3% of nephrologists make between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, 4% are paid between $450,000 and $500,000 annually, and another 4% earn salaries in the range from $400,000 to $450,000 a year. 6% of the nephrologists surveyed report earning between $350,000 and $400,000 annually, and 10% are paid between $300,000 and $350,000 a year.
On the lower end of the scale, 5% of nephrologists earn between $100,000 and $150,000 annually, and 25% of these physicians are paid between $150,000 and $200,000 a year according to Medscape.
Salary by state
Nephrologist salaries can vary significantly from state to state. For example, physicians working in Texas are generally paid between $142,482 and $205,579 a year, those based in Florida earn an annual pay in the range from $121,010 to $167,868, and nephrologists employed in New Jersey typically earn between $117,196 and $228,907 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Hourly wage
Nephrologists earn $91.03 per hour on average according to the salary data provided by Jobstat. The highest hourly pay recorded is $143.66 and the lowest is $51.
Benefits
Along with the basic salary and yearly bonuses, nephrology doctors also get a variety of benefits, and these can sometimes reflect their annual earnings. Physicians who have malpractice and liability insurance generally report salaries in the range from $120,413 to $278,122 a year, those who have 401(k) plans are usually paid between $57,611 and $281,878 annually, and professionals who get cell phones typically make between $123,347 and $245,659 a year. Nephrologists who get paid vacations and holidays are generally paid between $122,323 and $275,138 a year, and those who get paid sick leave report an annual income in the range from $123,699 to $249,254 according to the salary figures provided by Payscale.
The most popular benefits and perks among nephrologists are malpractice and liability insurance, 401(k) plans, cell phone, paid vacations, paid sick leave, life and disability insurance, and 403(b) plans.
Other income factors
Hospital setting is one of the more significant factors in determining a nephrologist’s salary. Professionals employed at physicians’ offices and private practices are generally paid between $119,195 and $257,605 annually, and those working at general hospitals report an annual pay in the range from $96,958 to $257,605 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Nephrologists’ yearly pay can also vary from industry to industry. Physicians employed in the health care sector typically earn between $135,000 and $300,000 a year, those working at hospitals are generally paid between $76,302 and $194,421 annually, and nephrologists working at physicians’ offices report earning salaries in the range from $117,916 to $201,116 a year according to Payscale.
Nephrologists’ salaries also vary depending on the size of the organization that employs them. Nephrologists employed by organizations with 1 to 9 employees typically have salaries in the range from $145,000 to $225,000 a year, and physicians working for organizations that employ 1 to 9 professionals report earning between $118,644 and $265,000 annually.
The number of hospital beds is another factor that can affect a nephrology physician’s annual salary. Professionals working at institutions with 100 to 299 beds generally report an annual income in the range from $135,000 to $192,208, those employed by institutions with 300 to 499 hospital beds typically make between $194,421 and $256,973 annually, and nephrologists working at institutions with 500 or more hospital beds are generally paid between $151,262 and $203,473 a year according to Payscale’s income statistics.
The yearly bonuses typically vary depending on a wide range of factors, including professional experience. Nephrologists with 1 to 4 years of experience get $10,000 a year on average, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are paid around $30,000 annually in bonuses. Physicians with 10 to 19 years of experience report being paid around $10,174 a year, while those with 20 or more years under their belt get $37,500 a year on average in bonuses according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Bonuses also vary from state to state. Nephrology doctors in California get $28,750 a year on average, those based in Florida are paid around $25,000 annually, and professionals working in Texas get around $20,000 a year in bonus money. Nephrologists working in Pennsylvania report being paid around $10,174 a year, those employed in Virginia and D.C. get $20,000 a year on average, and physicians based in New York report being paid $5,000 a year on average in bonuses according to Payscale.
Nephrologists sometimes report additional earnings from profit sharing. Professionals employed at physicians’ offices and private practices report getting $47,500 a year on average.