Highest Paid Medical Specialties in 2026

Every doctor makes six figures. But the gap between specialties is massive—the highest-paid physicians earn nearly double what some of their colleagues make.

Here are the top 11 highest-paid medical specialties in 2026, based on the most recent physician compensation data.

#11 | Radiology — $571,749

Radiology comes in at number 11, with an average annual compensation of roughly $572,000.

Radiology can be broken down into two distinct tracks—diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology.

Diagnostic radiologists interpret imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to help diagnose disease. While the pay is high, radiology is best known for its relatively strong work-life balance. Most diagnostic radiologists work predictable hours with limited emergency call.

Training requires a 5-year residency. Compensation varies widely depending on subspecialization, practice setting, and workload.

#10 | Interventional Radiology — $572,617

Just ahead of diagnostic radiology is interventional radiology, earning approximately $573,000 per year.

Interventional radiologists use imaging guidance to perform minimally invasive procedures that actively treat patients, rather than only diagnosing conditions. This procedural role comes with longer training, typically 6 to 7 years, and more demanding call responsibilities.

The key tradeoff is lifestyle: diagnostic radiology prioritizes predictability, while interventional radiology trades longer hours and call for hands-on procedural work.

#9 | Vascular Surgery — $576,452

Vascular surgeons earn about $576,000 annually and specialize in diseases of the arteries and veins throughout the body, excluding the brain and heart.

They treat conditions such as aortic aneurysms, carotid artery disease, and blood clots. While compensation is strong, the lifestyle is demanding, with frequent call and unpredictable hours.

Training lasts 5 years if matched directly into vascular surgery, or 6 to 7 years if pursued after a general surgery residency.

#8 | Cardiology — $587,360

Cardiology is the highest-paid internal medicine subspecialty, with average compensation around $587,000.

Cardiologists treat diseases of the heart and vascular system, including heart failure, hypertension, and heart attacks. Demand remains high, as cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States.

Lifestyle varies depending on subspecialty. Procedural cardiologists often take emergency call, while those working in heart failure or electrophysiology clinics tend to have more predictable schedules.

Training includes 3 years of internal medicine residency followed by a 3-year cardiology fellowship, with many physicians subspecializing further.

Heart disease is, unfortunately, the leading cause of death in the US, despite often being preventable. I discuss the four horsemen of preventable chronic disease in my extensive summary of Peter Attia’s longevity book Outlive on the Kevin Jubbal M.D. YouTube channel.

#7 | Radiation Oncology — $588,678

Radiation oncologists earn approximately $589,000 per year and treat cancer using radiation therapy.

They work closely with medical and surgical oncologists as part of multidisciplinary cancer teams. Despite the seriousness of the work, radiation oncology is known for one of the better lifestyle-to-income ratios in medicine.

Most radiation oncologists work 45 to 50 hours per week with minimal call. Training consists of a 5-year residency.

#6 | Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery — $616,748

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons specialize in surgical procedures involving the face, jaw, and oral cavity. While commonly associated with dental procedures like wisdom tooth extractions and implants, the scope of OMFS is far broader and includes facial trauma, corrective jaw surgery, pathology, and reconstructive procedures.

OMFS offers a unique combination of high compensation and relatively favorable lifestyle, with many surgeons working close to a standard 40-hour workweek depending on practice structure.

Training requires completion of dental school followed by either a 4-year OMFS residency or a 6-year dual-degree program that awards both a DDS and an MD.

#5 | Plastic Surgery — $621,445

Plastic surgeons earn about $621,000 annually and practice in both reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.

Aesthetic plastic surgeons typically earn more than those focused on reconstruction alone. While the lifestyle is generally manageable compared to other surgical fields, plastic surgery is one of the most competitive specialties to match into.

There are two main training pathways:

• Integrated: 6 years directly after medical school
• Independent: 5 years of general surgery followed by 3 additional years of plastic surgery training

If you’re targeting a high-paying, high-competition specialty like plastic surgery, preparation needs to begin early. Strong Step 2 scores, research output, and standout letters of recommendation matter.

To explore competitiveness data across specialties, visit specialtyrank.com, which provides free access to NRMP match statistics.

#4 | Pediatric Surgery — $647,721

Pediatric surgery appears on this list due to expanded compensation reporting in recent years.

Pediatric surgeons operate on infants, children, and adolescents, treating congenital anomalies, tumors, and traumatic injuries. The work is high-stakes, and the lifestyle reflects that intensity.

Training requires a 5-year general surgery residency followed by a 2-year pediatric surgery fellowship, totaling at least 7 years after medical school.

Despite similar training demands, pediatric specialists often earn significantly less than their adult counterparts, highlighting one of the largest pay gaps in medicine.

You may be noticing a pattern in all of the highest paid career paths. They are all either surgical or procedural, with the 1 exception of diagnostic radiology. And the top 3 are no different.

#3 | Orthopedic Surgery — $679,517

We’re in the top 3! In the bronze medal position is orthopedic surgery at $679,517

Orthopedic surgeons utilize both surgical and nonsurgical treatments to manage the musculoskeletal system. They treat conditions like trauma, tumors, infections, degenerative diseases, congenital disorders, spine diseases, and sports injuries.

Although the paycheck is certainly substantial, depending on the subtype of orthopedic surgery you practice, it may come with long hours and poor work-life balance.

To get into orthopedic surgery, which consistently ranks in the top 5 most competitive specialties, you’ll have to complete a 5-year orthopedic surgery residency.

#2 | Thoracic Surgery — $689,969

In the number 2 silver medal spot we make a huge jump in pay. Thoracic surgeons earn around $690,000 a year.

Thoracic surgery, also known as cardiothoracic surgery or CT for short, is the surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax, also known as the chest cavity, such as the heart, lungs, aorta, esophagus, and diaphragm. These surgeons perform lung and heart transplants, valve replacements, coronary artery bypass grafts, and lung resections to remove lung cancer.

This specialty can be broken down into cardiac, thoracic, or cardiothoracic surgery. After completing their CT surgery training, physicians can choose to specialize in cardiac surgery, focusing on the heart and aorta, or thoracic surgery, focusing on the lung, esophagus, ribs, and other structures in the thorax. If the surgeon chooses to remain generalized, they can operate in both cardiac and thoracic domains.

Unfortunately, this is a specialty with a very difficult lifestyle. Coronary artery bypass grafts, or CABG for short, can last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours, and if complications arise, it could take up to 12 hours. There’s not much of a work-life balance in CT surgery.

Depending on the path, it can take anywhere from 5 to 7 years to become a CT surgeon.

There are 3 pathways to becoming a CT surgeon. The independent pathway is most common and requires a 5-year general surgery residency as well as an additional 2-year cardiothoracic residency.

The integrated pathway is only 5 or 6 years, where you match directly into a CT residency program after medical school.

The combined pathway requires 4 years of general surgery and 3 years of CT surgery at a single program. These physicians are certified in both general and CT surgery.

#1 | Neurosurgery — $749,140

Finally, in the number 1 gold medal spot is neurosurgery with a whopping salary of approximately $749,000 a year.

Neurosurgery involves the surgical treatment of disorders that affect the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. It also includes the peripheral nervous system, which comprises the neuromuscular junctions, peripheral nerves, spinal nerves, and their roots and branches.

There are two categories in neurosurgery: elective surgery and non-elective or emergent surgery. Generally, elective surgeries treat conditions that are not immediately life-threatening. Emergent surgery includes traumatic injuries to both the cranium and spine.

While compensation often correlates with competitiveness, it’s not a perfect science—just like neurosurgery. Neurosurgeons have the longest training of any residency program, but it’s not the most competitive. It ranks 2nd for 2024 and was the 5th most competitive in 2022. This has much to do with the lifestyle.

Neurosurgeons are known for having one of the most challenging lifestyles of any physician. In addition to scheduled cases, they are required to take neurosurgery trauma call. It’s often said that neurosurgeons make the most money, but they don’t have any time to enjoy it.

Neurosurgery also comes with a massive 7 year residency following medical school, and 7 years is a very long time to only be making a resident’s salary. We will cover how much residents make throughout their training in an upcoming video.

Is the Money Important?

While the money should absolutely not be a primary reason for you to go into medicine, let’s be real, it is an important factor. After all, we wouldn’t pursue being a doctor if it only paid $50,000 per year and came with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. That’s just not a smart move.

Learning how to choose a medical specialty that aligns with your interests and lifestyle matters far more than compensation alone.

It doesn’t matter how much money you make if you don’t enjoy the operating room.

Factors Contributing to High Salaries

So what do neurosurgery, plastics, orthopedics, cardiology, and gastroenterology have in common that results in such high salaries? It comes down to one key principle: procedures. The way the current healthcare system works in the US, procedures are compensated quite handsomely. On the flip side, you’ll notice that the 5 lowest compensated specialties aren’t procedurally focused.

Does that mean you should pursue a specialty that is procedure heavy? Not based on salary alone. I personally love working with my hands and precise, meticulous attention to detail, which is why I matched into plastic surgery. But if you don’t love working with your hands, you’d be miserable doing any form of surgery.

There are several other factors beyond specialty choice that can significantly sway the average compensation of a doctor.

1 | Location

It’s a matter of supply and demand. Lots of doctors want to live in California, and therefore, there’s relatively more supply of doctors than demand. As a result, hospitals can pay doctors less than they would in, say, Wisconsin. Because fewer doctors are eager to work in less populated areas like Wisconsin or Oklahoma, hospitals need to pay a higher salary to attract talent there. Simple economics at play.

2 | Practice Type

Second is practice type. Self-employed physicians, meaning private practice doctors, on average, make substantially more than employed physicians. This has held true for decades, although private practice is less appealing than it was 10 years ago.

Again, your decision shouldn’t be based on just the money. Private practice usually comes with the significant added headache of handling the business side of things, and you can expect to be working harder hours than if you were employed.

If you’re an aspiring physician but don’t know which specialty you’d like to pursue, our So You Want to Be series will help you navigate the pros and cons of every medical path to help you choose the one that’s best for you.