Female physicians earn an average of $309,000 in 2024, falling short of the $400,000 earned by male physicians, according to Medscape's "A Gender Gap That Defies Explanation: Medscape Female Physician Compensation Report 2024," published Oct. 25.
Here are 15 additional things to know about female physician compensation in 2024:
1. Female specialists take home an average of $333,000 annually, compared to $253,000 earned by primary care providers.
2. Female anesthesiologists tend to see the highest salaries, at $406,000.
3. Female physicians aged 35 to 39 earn the highest wages, at $327,000.
4. Over half of female physicians (56%) feel they don't earn enough in comparison to their work demands.
5. Over half of female physicians (52%) did not take pay into account when choosing a specialty.
6. Female physicians working in the hospital setting earn more than their counterparts in other settings, at $323,000 annually.
7. A large majority of female physicians (62%) do not take extra work to supplement their income.
8. The average incentive bonus for female physicians comes in at $29,000 annually.
9. Female physicians work an average of 49 hours per week, nearly the same as their male counterparts, who report working 50.
10. Female neurologists, dermatologists and oncologists feel the most satisfied with their compensation, with 62% feeling fairly paid.
11. Diabetes specialists and endocrinologists feel the least satisfied, with only 29% feeling fairly paid.
12. The most rewarding part of a female physician's job is finding answers and diagnoses.
13. The most challenging parts are working long hours and dealing with difficult patients.
14. The majority of female physicians (69%) would choose to go into medicine again.
15. Employed female physicians earn slightly less than their self-employed counterparts, at $306,000 and $320,000 respectively.