The best and worst metro areas for doctors’ salaries White jacket

The salary of the average doctor has exceeded the $ 350,000 a year, but whether a doctor can vary above or below that brand due to various factors. The specialty of a doctor is one of the largest determining factors in the size of their salary, but the location also plays a major role in the salary of a doctor. Two doctors who work in the same specialty can earn considerably different incomes based on where they practice. Location factors in the salaries of doctors for a few reasons, including costs of living and income tax of the state.

If you are a doctor who is looking for a change of environment in the hope of increasing your salary, here are the best and worst metro areas for doctor’s salaries.

Best metro areas for doctors’ salaries (per location)

According to the 2025 DOXIMITY ASSIGNMENT COMMUNICATION REPORTDoctors in the US saw an increase of 3.7% in compensation from 2023 to 2024 (and that is after a reimbursement of almost 6% between 2022 and 2023). Meanwhile, doctors enjoyed Rochester, Minnesota, one of the largest wage peaks of 8.7%, and the average wage there is now $ 495,532. Meanwhile, doctors in the metropolitan area of San Jose – who in 2023 had one of the largest wage peaks at 13.5%, who pushed it first on the list of last year – actually have a decrease of 1.07%, although it still remains in the top five. Rochester did not even make the top 10 list last year.

Among the 10 metropolitan areas with the highest average fee last year, there are five in the state of California. All, except San Jose, saw a positive increase in compensation in 2024.

Worst metro areas for doctors’ salaries (per location)

While five of the top 10 metro lines with the highest compensation for doctors in California were located, the 10 locations of the report with the lowest compensation were more spread over the eastern half of the country. The Durham-Chapel Hill metro area had the lowest average compensation for doctors with an annual salary of $ 358,782. San Antonio, which was the lowest in 2023 at $ 371,073, saw a salary increase with 4.96% for 2024, although it is still one of the top 10 worst metro lines.

Also make sure that if you move to Rochester for a compensation increase, you move to that in Minnesota and not that in New York, otherwise you make an error of $ 130,000. As you can see on the list below.

Best metro areas for doctors’ salaries (living costs)

How expensive it is to live in a certain metro area is perhaps the best measure of how high the salary of a doctor (or, really, really, is really a professional). According to Doximity, Rochester, Minnesota had also adjusted the highest compensation for the costs of living for doctors. This is followed by St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Omaha and Kansas City. If you want to stretch your dollar, it seems that living in the midwest is a good way to do it.

In addition, five of the top 10 best metro lines for doctors’ salaries with regard to living costs made the list the year before, while cities such as Buffalo and Salt Lake City were new additions.

Worst metro areas for doctors’ salaries (living costs)

A number of the metro areas that are generally known as expensive to live in, were among the worst places for the salaries of doctors. In addition to Denver, the top 10 metro lines were in this category on the east or west coast of the US.

Boston, no. 2 on last year’s list, achieved number 1 this year, while Washington, DC – who took first place last year – (or Rose, depending on how you look at no. 2. Seattle, Denver and San Francisco sought.

Cities in the east and west coast that form this list is not new. These cities were also on the adjusted compensation lists of Doximity in 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Below is the graph that shows the highest and lowest areas for doctors’ salaries based on the costs of living.

And if you want to look at it per region, here is something Medscape released in 2025.

Best metro areas for doctors’ salaries (compensation growth)

Like every professional, doctors don’t just want to earn a high salary. They also want to see it grow throughout their career. According to the Doximity report, the average compensation of doctors increased in 54 of the 60 metro lines (approximately two-thirds saw the growth of at least 3%).

As noted by doximity,

“While the inflation percentage returned in 2024 closer to the pre-Pandemic levels, doctors still feel the effects of several years of high inflation-inclusive 7% in 2021 and 6.5% in 2022 and running Medicare payment reductions, including 2.8% in 2025. According to the American Medical Association of the Medical Association, is the Medical Association of the Medical Association, the Medical Association of Medical Association, after the Medical Association of Medical Association, Inflation. “

Doctors Austin saw the largest growth of doctor’s compensation (11.1%), with the Kansas City metro area not far behind 10.0%. The metro lines of Buffalo, Orlando, St. Louis and Nashville have also experienced average salary increases of more than 9%. Rochester, Minnesota, grew by 8.7%.

The Bottom Line

The expression “location, location, location” is often reserved for real estate, but can also apply to the salaries of doctors. Doctors can make a handsome salary where they also practice, but that income of six digits goes much further in some metro lines than others. So, while you are looking for a place to work, don’t just look at the regions that pay the most; Also consider the costs of living and how much your salary can grow from year to year. Combining all these factors gives you the most realistic view of what the salary of your doctor will be.

Do you live in one of the metro cities that are on the best or worst lists? Have you moved to find the best combination of high salary and low costs of living? Is that something you would consider?