Pathologists typically have salaries in the range from $112,162 to $342,550 a year including bonuses , which can amount to up to $59,322 a year according to salary data from Payscale.
Pathologists’ average annual salaries depend on a variety of factors, from employer type, hospital setting, and geographical location to work situation, area of specialty, and years of professional experience.
Medscape’s 2013 Pathologist Compensation Report reveals that 23% of pathologists included in the survey saw their salaries increase by up to 10%, and 7% had a salary increase by more than 10%. 10% of the pathologists surveyed reported a salary decrease by as much as 10%, and 9% had a decrease in yearly income by more than 10%.
52% of the pathologists who participated in the survey reported that their salaries remained the same from the previous year.
Average salary
The average salary for pathologists employed in the United States is $247,000 a year according to Medscape’s salary report, $244,937 according to Salary.com, and $219,172 according to salary data provided by Payscale. Men earn $255,000 a year on average, and women have a median annual salary of $235,000 according to Medscape’s 2013 compensation report.
Pathologists’ average salary varies from region to region. The top salaries are in the Northwest region, where these professionals earn $311,000 a year on average, followed by the West, where the median salary for the profession is $278,000 a year. Pathologists employed in the Southwest make $270,000 a year, those based in the North East earn around $249,000 annually, and professionals working in the Great Lakes region have a median yearly salary of $247,000.
Pathologists employed in the Southeast earn $246,000 and those in the Mid-Atlantic region are paid $241,000 annually on average.
The lowest average salaries are in the North Central region, where these professionals make $223,000 a year on average, and in the South Central region, where the median annual salary for this occupation is $219,000 according to Medscape’s salary statistics.
Pathologists’ salaries also vary depending on these professionals’ work setting. Pathologists working in multispecialty group practices earn the highest average salaries, with a median income of $324,000 a year, followed by those employed in single-specialty group practices, who earn around $280,000 annually.
Professionals employed by hospitals make $254,000 a year on average, those working for various healthcare organizations are paid around $241,000 a year, and pathologists working in a solo practice earn a median yearly salary of $201,000. Pathologists working in an academic setting have the lowest average salary, $191,000 a year.
Image: Bill Branson
Work situation is another factor that determines a pathologist’s salary. Professionals who are partners in their organization have the best salaries, around $320,000 a year, followed by pathologists working as independent contractors, who earn $271,000 a year on average. Pathologists who are employees in their organization make $228,000 a year on average, and owners of solo practices earn a median annual salary of $208,000 according to Medscape’s 2013 report.
Yearly bonuses also vary depending on a number of factors, including years of experience. Pathologists with 1 to 4 years of experience get $5,000 a year on average, while those with 5 to 9 years of experience are paid around $14,000 a year in bonuses.
Professionals with 10 to 19 years under their belt earn $3,500 a year on average, and those with 20 or more years of professional experience report annual bonuses in the amount of $10,174 on average according to Payscale’s salary data.
Starting salary
The starting salary for pathologists with less than a year of experience is usually in the range from $150,000 to $177,423 a year including bonuses according to salary information provided by Payscale. These professionals are paid yearly bonuses in the average amount of $20,000.
Salary range
The salary range for pathologists employed in the United States depends on a number of factors, including professional experience. Pathologists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn between $51,064 and $366,039 a year, those with 5 to 9 years of experience make between $100,671 and $363,281 a year, professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience under their belt are paid between $61,277 and $299,487 a year, and those with 20 or more years of experience report salaries in the range from $129,703 to $440,421 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Pathologists with a certification from the American Board of Pathology report annual earnings in the range from $150,000 to $300,000.
Men typically earn a yearly income in the range from $152,051 to $394,530, while women are generally paid between $127,852 and $363,281 a year.
In terms of employer type, pathologists working at hospitals generally earn between $104,762 and $386,563 a year, those employed by private practices have salaries in the range from $111,856 to $446,982 a year, and professionals working for companies are usually paid between $194,421 and $262,480 annually according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
The highest percentage of pathologists earn a salary in the range between $200,000 and $250,000 a year. 9% of these professionals make $100,000 or less annually, and 1% of them earn $600,000 or more according to Medscape’s 2013 Pathologist Compensation Report. 4% of pathologists included in the survey earn between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, and 21% make between $150,000 and $200,000 annually. 15% are paid between $250,000 and $300,000 a year, 11% make between $300,000 and $350,000 annually, and 6% earn between $350,000 and $400,000 a year. A further 6% earn between $400,000 and $450,000 a year, 3% are paid between $450,000 and $500,000 a year, and 2% report annual salaries in the range from $500,000 to $600,000 a year.
Benefits
Benefits packages can reflect a pathologist’s annual salary. For instance, professionals who get 401(k) plans typically earn between $148,994 and $293,614 a year, those who have paid vacations and holidays generally have salaries in the range from $150,000 to $229,800 a year, and pathologists who get 403(b) plans report earnings in the range from $278,000 to $386,563 a year according to Payscale. These are the three most popular benefits among pathologists.
Pathologists with up to 4 years of professional experience get about 4.3 vacation weeks a year, those with 5 to 9 years of experience get 3.8 weeks a year on average, professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience report getting 4.3 weeks, and those with 20 or more years of experience typically get around 3.8 weeks off.
Other income factors
Pathology doctors’ salaries can vary depending on industry, too. Pathologists working in the healthcare sector generally earn between $100,671 and $397,317 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale. Professionals employed at hospitals have salaries in the range from $150,000 to $254,000 a year, while those working at medical pathology laboratories are typically paid between $175,171 and $436,311 a year. The most popular work settings among pathologists are medical pathology labs, the health care sector, hospitals, professional analytical and laboratory services, and medical laboratories.