Oncologists employed in the United States typically earn annual salaries in the range from $101,860 to $418,929 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
The yearly bonuses for this profession can amount to up to $50,405, and earnings from profit sharing are generally in the range from $8,000 to $37,500 a year. The basic annual salary for oncologists is usually in the range between $99,397 and $393,983 according to Payscale.
Based on the salary data provided by Salary.com, 10% of oncology specialists earn an income of $165,068 a year or less.
10% of oncologists on the upper end of the pay scale report an annual salary of $412,754 or more.
Jobstat reveals that the highest salary reported for this occupation is $345,905 a year, and the lowest, $80,876 a year.
Average salary
The average salary for oncology doctors working in the United States is $251,619 a year according to Payscale, $266,619 according to Salary.com, $278,000 a year according to the 2013 Oncologist Compensation Report released by Medscape, $208,228 a year according to Jobstat, $266,000 a year according to HealthcareWorkerSalary.com, and $314,800 according to the recruitment agency Profiles. The Profiles agency reports a median yearly income of $402,000 for gynecological oncologists, and $210,000 for pediatric oncologists.
The average salary for men is $293,000 a year, while women earn $240,000 a year on average according to Medscape’s salary report. This translates into a 22% gap between male and female oncology physicians.
Medscape’s report reveals that oncologists’ salaries can vary significantly depending on geographical location. The top salaries are in the Southwest, where these professionals earn $347,000 a year on average, and in the South Central region, where the median annual salary for this occupation is $344,000.
Oncologists in the Northwest and in the Great Lakes region earn an average annual salary of $316,000, and those in the North Central region make $313,000 a year on average.
Oncology doctors in the Southeast earn a median annual pay of $301,000, and those in the Mid-Atlantic region earn $256,000 a year on average. The lowest salaries are in the West, where oncologists earn a median salary of $243,000 a year, and in the North East, where the average salary for the profession is $230,000 according to Medscape.
Work setting is another factor that can significantly affect an oncology doctor’s annual salary. The best paid oncologists are those employed at multispecialty group practices, where the average salary for the profession is $356,000 a year, followed by professionals working for healthcare organizations, who earn $353,000 a year on average. Oncologists working at outpatient clinics make $347,000 annually on average, those employed at single-specialty group practices have a median salary of $340,000 a year, and professionals working in solo practices earn around $265,000 a year. Oncology physicians employed at hospitals earn $227,000 a year on average, those working in an academic setting are paid around $196,000 annually, and professionals employed in other settings receive a median salary of $192,000 a year according to Medscape’s income survey.
Oncologist salaries can also vary depending on these professionals’ work situation. Professionals who work as independent contractors earn $491,000 a year on average, and those who are partners in their organization earn around $369,000 a year. Owners of solo practices make $257,000 annually on average, and oncologists who are employees at their organization are paid around $247,000 a year according to Medscape’s compensation survey.
Starting salary
The starting salary for oncologists working in the United States is typically in the range from $65,000 to $281,947 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale. Oncology doctors in their first year earn bonuses in the average amount of $9,115.
The average starting salary for oncology physicians, as reported by ProfilesDatabase.com, is $222,000 a year. Gynecological oncologists in their first year on the job earn a median annual pay of $300,000, and pediatric oncologists are offered a starting salary of around $175,000 a year.
Salary range
Oncologist salaries vary depending on a number of factors, including professional experience. Oncology physicians with 1 to 4 years of experience typically earn between $90,000 and $349,048 a year, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are generally paid between $102,556 and $394,530 annually. Oncologists with 10 to 19 years of experience usually report an annual income in the range from $102,556 to $397,489, while professionals with 20 or more years of experience earn between $96,095 and $518,232 a year according to Payscale’s income statistics.
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Men report salaries in the range from $96,065 to $463,689 a year, while women typically earn between $138,086 and $303,583 a year.
Area of specialty is another significant factor in determining an oncologist’s annual salary. Professionals specializing in oncology report salaries in the range from $122,554 to $489,653 a year, while those specializing in surgery generally make between $152,500 and $400,000 a year.
Medscape’s 2013 Oncologist Compensation Report shows that 14% of oncologists earn $100,000 or less annually, while 3% earn $700,000 a year or more. The highest percentage of the oncologists included in the survey report salaries in the range from $200,000 to $250,000 a year.
On the lower end of the scale, 3% of oncologists earn from $100,000 to $150,000 a year, and 12% report an annual income in the range from $150,000 to $200,000. On the higher end of the scale, 2% of the professionals surveyed report an annual pay in the range from $600,000 to $650,000, 6% earn between $500,000 and $600,000 annually, and 4% are paid between $450,000 and $500,000 a year. 7% have salaries in the range from $400,000 to $450,000 a year, 11% make between $350,000 and $400,000 annually, a further 11% of oncologists report a yearly income in the range from $300,000 to $350,000, and yet another 11% of these professionals are paid between $250,000 and $300,000 a year according to Medscape’s salary survey.
Salary by state
Oncologists’ yearly salaries vary from state to state. Professionals employed in California generally report an annual pay in the range from $116,350 to $412,168, those based in New York typically earn between $71,099 and $500,834 annually, and oncology specialists working in Illinois are usually paid between $70,469 and $347,653 a year.
Oncologists working in Ohio report salaries in the range from $50,684 to $394,530 a year, and those based in Massachusetts make between $226,540 and $303,391 a year. Professionals employed in Texas are typically paid between $225,000 and $332,500 annually, and those working in North Carolina report an annual income in the range from $157,222 to $351,683 a year according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Salary by city
Oncologists’ annual income can also vary from city to city. Professionals working in Chicago generally earn between $81,389 and $294,791 a year, those based in New York are typically paid between $96,095 and $207,928 a year, and oncology doctors working in Boston generally report an annual pay in the range from $228,445 to $308,368. Oncologists working in San Francisco are typically paid between $162,135 and $301,030 a year, and those employed in Cleveland earn salaries in the range from $245,659 to $284,862 a year. Professionals based in Atlanta make between $60,000 and $326,500 a year, and those working in Los Angeles are generally paid between $110,000 and $259,000 annually according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Benefits
Along with the basic yearly salary, bonuses, and contributions from profit sharing, oncologists usually get a variety of benefits, and these can sometimes reflect their annual earnings.
Professionals who get malpractice and liability insurance as part of their benefits packages generally report an annual pay in the range from $171,272 to $451,392, those who have 401(k) plans earn between $118,350 and $375,059 annually, and oncology doctors who get life and disability insurance are typically paid between $142,676 and $436,761 a year.
Oncologists who get paid vacations and holidays usually earn between $143,009 and $441,800 a year, and those whose benefits include paid sick leave earn salaries in the range from $142,487 to $311,716 a year. Professionals who get cell phones are generally paid between $121,812 and $434,871 a year, and those who have 403(b) plans usually make between $139,620 and $353,938 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
The most popular perks and benefits among oncologists are malpractice and liability insurance, 401(k) plans, and life and disability insurance.
Hourly wage
The average hourly wage for oncologists employed in the United States is $103.54 according to the salary statistics provided by Jobstat. The highest hourly wage documented is $172.01 and the lowest, $40.22.
Other income factors
In terms of industry, oncologists working in the health care sector generally report annual earnings in the range from $96,354 to $413,245, and those employed at hospitals make between $79,463 and $337,247 a year. Oncology doctors employed at oncologists’ offices typically earn between $97,871 and $388,089 annually, and those working at medical offices are usually paid between $200,000 and $360,000 year according to Payscale.
Oncologist salaries also depend on the type of employer. Professionals working at hospitals typically make between $98,317 and $380,062 a year, those employed by private practices or firms earn from $149,420 to $364,238 annually, and oncologists employed by companies report a yearly income in the range from $50,684 to $394,530. Oncologists employed by non-profit organizations are generally paid between $212,500 and $334,328 a year, and those employed by universities and colleges typically earn salaries in the range from $85,000 to $371,500 a year according to Payscale’s income statistics.
Oncologists’ yearly income can also vary depending on hospital setting. Professionals working at general hospitals generally make between $99,329 and $383,734 a year, those employed at physicians’ offices and private practices are usually paid between $99,329 and $484,790 annually, and oncology physicians working in ambulatory care or surgery centers typically earn salaries in the range from $50,335 to $347,653 a year according to Payscale’s figures.
The number of hospital beds is another factor that can affect an oncologist’s salary. Professionals employed by institutions with less than 50 beds typically have salaries in the range from $166,107 to $595,976 a year, and those working for institutions with 100 to 299 beds are generally paid between $98,633 and $498,065 a year. Oncologists employed by institutions with 300 to 499 hospital beds report an annual income in the range from $130,000 to $364,954, and professionals working at institutions with 500 or more beds are typically paid between $81,703 and $394,422 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.