Average annual pay for plastic surgeons increased 10 percent in 2021, the most significant rise among specialties, according to Medscape's Physician Compensation Report, which collected responses from about 18,000 U.S. physicians from Oct. 6, 2020, through Feb. 11.
Here is the annual compensation of the 20 highest-paid physician specialties with percentage changes from Medscape's 2020 "Physician Compensation Report."
1. Plastic surgery: $526,000 (+10 percent)
2. Orthopedics: $511,000 (0 percent)
3. Cardiology: $459,000 (+5 percent)
4. Urology: $427,000 (+2 percent)
5. Otolaryngology: $417,000 (-9 percent)
6. Radiology: $413,000 (+3 percent)
7. Gastroenterology: $406,000 (-3 percent)
8. Oncology: $403,000 (+7 percent)
9. Dermatology: $394,000 (-4 percent)
10. Ophthalmology: $379,000 (0 percent)
11. Anesthesiology: $378,000 (-5 percent)
12. Surgery, general: $373,000 (+2 percent)
13. Critical care: $366,000 (+3 percent)
14. Emergency medicine: $354,000 (-1 percent)
15. Pulmonary medicine: $333,000 (-3 percent)
16. Pathology: $316,000 (0 percent)
17. OB/Gyn: $312,000 (+1 percent)
18. Nephrology: $311,000 (+1 percent)
19. Physical medicine and rehabilitation: $300,000 (-3 percent)
20. Neurology: $290,000 (+3 percent)