The lowest-paid physician specialties over the last 10 years

Pediatric, endocrinology and public health specialists consistently rank as the lowest earners across physician specialties, according to Medscape compensation reports. 

Here are the five lowest-paying physician specialties over the last 10 years:

2024:

1. Diabetes and endocrinology: $256,000

2. Pediatrics: $260,000

3. Infectious diseases: $261,000

4. Public health and preventive medicine: $263,000

5. Family medicine: $272,000

2023:

1. Public health and preventive medicine: $249,000

2. Pediatrics: $251,000

3. Family medicine: $255,000

4. Infectious diseases: $262,000

5. Diabetes and endocrinology: $267,000

2022:

1. Public health and preventive medicine: $243,000

2. Pediatrics: $244,000

3. Family medicine: $255,000

4. Diabetes and endocrinology: $257,000

5. Infectious diseases: $260,000

2021:

1. Pediatrics: $221,000

2. Family medicine: $236,000

3. Public health and preventive medicine: $237,000

4. Diabetes and endocrinology: $245,000

5. Infectious diseases: $245,000

2020:

1.Pediatrics: $232,000

2.  Public health and preventive medicine: $232,000

3. Family medicine: $234,000

4. Diabetes and endocrinologist: $236,000

5. Infectious disease specialists: $246,000

2019:

1. Public health and preventive medicine: $209,000

2. Pediatrics: $225,000

3. Family medicine: $231,000

4. Diabetes and endocrinology: $236,000

5. Infectious diseases: $239,000

2018: 

1. Public health and preventive medicine: $199,000

2. Pediatrics: $212,000

3. Diabetes and endocrinology: $212,000

4. Family medicine: $219,000

5. Internal medicine $230,000

2017:

1. Pediatrics: $202,000

2. Family medicine: $209,000

3. Endocrinology: $220,000

4. Internal medicine: $225,000

5. Infectious disease: $228,000

2016:

1. Pediatrics: $204,000

2. Endocrinology: $206,000

3. Family medicine: $207,000

4. HIV/ID: $215,000

5. Allergy: $222,000

2015:

1. Pediatrics: $189,000

2. Family medicine: $195,000

3. Diabetes and endocrinology: $196,000

4. Internal medicine: $196,000

5. Rheumatology: $205,000 

2014: 

1. HIV/ID: $174,000

2. Family medicine: $176,000

3. Pediatrics: $181,000

4. Diabetes and endocrinology: $184,000 

5. Internal medicine: $188,000