Neurologist salaries depend on a wide range of factors, from location and employer type to work situation and years of experience.
Neurologists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn between $60,000 and $293,617 a year, those with 5 to 9 years of experience earn an annual pay in the range from $131,416 and $290,874, professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience make between $101,084 and $309,334 a year, and those with 20 or more years of experience under their belt report being paid between $141,526 and $322,820 annually according to salary information provided by Payscale.
The 2013 Neurologist Compensation Report shows that, in 2012, 16% of neurologists saw their salary decrease by more than 10%. 12% reported a decrease of up to 10%.
9% of the neurology specialists who participated in the survey reported that their annual salaries has increased by more than 10%, and 18% had seen a pay increase of up to 10%.
45% of the neurologists surveyed reported that their yearly salary had remained the same.
Average salary
The average annual salary for neurologists employed in the United States is $225,575 according to Salary.com, $191,278 according to Payscale, and $217,000 a year based on the salary data in Medscape’s 2013 Neurologist Compensation Report. Men earn $227,000 on average, while women are paid a median salary of $189,000 a year.
Neurologist salaries vary significantly depending on location. The top salaries are in the South Central region, where these professionals earn a median annual pay of $250,000, and in the Southeast, where they make $236,000 a year on average. Neurologists based in the North Central region earn $227,000 a year on average, and those working in the Great Lakes region are paid around $218,000 annually. Professionals employed in the West and North East earn an average annual salary of $213,000, and those working in the Northwest make $212,000 a year on average. The lowest salaries for this occupation are in the Mid-Atlantic region, where the median salary for the profession is $194,000 a year, and in the Southwest, where neurologists make $196,000 a year on average according to the salary data in Medscape’s report.
Neurologists’ average annual salaries also vary depending on work setting. Neurologists employed in single-specialty group practices have the best salaries, $251,000 a year on average, followed by professionals working in multispecialty group practices, who earn around $226,000 a year.
Neurologists employed in a solo practice make $206,000 a year, and those working for various healthcare organizations earn around $201,000 a year. Professionals employed at hospitals earn an average salary of $199,000 a year, those working at outpatient clinics make $187,000 a year, and neurologists employed in an academic setting have a median yearly salary of $148,000. Professionals employed in other settings typically earn significantly less, around $86,000 a year.
Neurologists’ salaries also depend on these professionals’ work situation. Neurologists who are partners in their organization earn $253,000 a year on average, while those working in a solo practice make $209,000 annually. Neurologists who are employees earn around $192,000 a year, and those employed as independent contractors have a median annual salary of $106,000.
The median annual salary for neurologists with 1 to 4 years of experience is $162,519, while professionals with 5 to 9 year of experience make $195,249 a year on average. Neurologists with 10 to 19 years of professional experience earn $203,957 a year, and those with 20 or more years of experience are paid $200,000 annually on average according to information from Neurology.com.
Salary range
Medscape’s Neurologist Compensation Report for 2013 reveals that the highest percentage of neurologists (24%) earn annual salaries in the range from $200,000 to $250,000 including bonuses and earnings from profit sharing. About 15% of these professionals earn $100,000 or less annually, while 3% earn $600,000 or more a year. On the higher end of the scale, 2% earn between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, and 4% make between $400,000 and $500,000 a year. 12% of neurologists report an annual income in the range from $300,000 to $400,000 per annum, and 13% earn between $250,000 and $300,000 a year.
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Salary data from Payscale reveals that neurologists typically earn salaries in the range from $80,875 to $313,453 a year including bonuses and profit sharing. The annual bonuses for the profession can amount to up to $44,042, and earnings from profit sharing are generally in the range from $0 to $33,276 a year.
Neurologists with a certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) report annual earnings in the range from $120,602 to $291,592.
Neurologists’ income can also vary depending on employer type. Professionals employed at hospitals typically earn between $59,180 and $290,874 a year, those working at private practices make between $120,805 and $303,673 annually, and neurologists employed by universities and colleges generally have salaries in the range from $48,936 and $229,789 a year. Neurologists working for companies make between $88,000 and $277,500 a year, those working for non-profit organizations earn between $132,767 and $322,976 a year, and professionals who are self-employed report yearly earnings in the range from $143,855 to $446,982 according to Payscale.
Starting salary
The starting annual salaries for neurologists with less than a year of professional experience are generally in the range between $44,698 and $251,677 according to salary information provided by Payscale.
The average salary for neurologists with less than a year of experience is $127,500 a year according to Neurology.com.
Salary by state
Neurologist salaries can vary significantly from state to state. For example, neurologists based in New York typically earn between $55,752 and $236,718 a year, those living in California are paid between $59,598 and $489,357 annually, and professionals working in Texas make between $146,807 and $352,347 a year. Neurologists employed in Pennsylvania report salaries in the range from $60,000 to $258,275 a year, those working in Florida make between $51,064 and $440,421 annually, professionals based in Minnesota are typically paid between $150,000 and $265,000 per annum, and those working in New Jersey generally earn salaries in the range from $135,000 to $222,472 a year according to Payscale’s salary information.
Salary by city
Neurologists’ salaries vary from city to city, too. Professionals employed in New York generally earn between $51,064 and $234,891 a year, those based in Philadelphia make between $61,042 and $155,000 annually, and neurologists working in Boston are typically paid between $147,395 and $183,126 a year. Neurologists in Los Angeles generally make between $129,708 and $205,579 a year, those based in Houston earn from $154,839 to $250,000 annually, professionals living in Chicago earn between $140,000 and $225,000 a year, and those working in Minneapolis report annual salaries in the range from $176,874 to $284,862 according to Payscale.
Benefits
Neurologists’ benefits packages can also reflect their annual earnings. Professionals who get 401(k) plans typically earn between $103,042 and $291,804 a year, those who get malpractice or liability insurance earn between $102,710 and $269,146 a year, and neurologists who have paid vacations and holidays report annual salaries in the range from $98,136 to $290,874. Neurologists who have life or disability insurance as part of their benefits package make between $128,812 and $275,918 a year, those who get paid sick leave are typically paid between $99,554 and $278,760 annually, and professionals who have 403(b) plans generally have salaries in the range from $122,449 to $305,187 a year. Neurologists who are reimbursed for their certification, education, training, or tuition report a yearly income in the range from $127,233 to $302,012 according to Payscale’s salary data.
The most popular benefits among neurologists are 401(k) plans, malpractice and liability insurance, and paid vacations.
Hourly rate
The average hourly wage for neurologists with 1 to 4 years of professional experience is typically in the range from $33.02 to $167.50 according to salary data provided by Payscale.
Other income factors
Area of specialty is one of the more significant factors that can affect a neurologist’s salary. For instance, professionals who specialize in neurophysiology generally earn between $76,026 and $293,162 a year, those who work at neurology clinics are typically paid between $100,671 and $293,614 annually, and neurologists who specialize in video EEG monitoring report yearly salaries in the range from $117,916 to $254,341 according to Payscale.
Neurologist salaries can also vary depending on hospital setting. Professionals working at general hospitals typically make between $58,297 and $272.647 annually, those employed at physicians’ offices earn between $146,041 and $300,732 a year, and neurologists who work in ambulatory care or surgery centers report annual earnings in the range from $125,000 to $305,209 according to salary data provided by Payscale.