Occupation · SOC 29-1222

Physicians, Pathologists: pay and where the jobs are

What physicians, pathologists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.

BLS May 2025 data · methodology

National pay, May 2025

$312,400 median annual wage

Mean (average) annual wage
$285,420
Median hourly wage
$150.19
Mean hourly wage
$137.22
Employment
11,110

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 29-1222.

Check your pay

See where your pay falls among physicians, pathologists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Pay is

Enter your pay to see where it falls.

Use these numbers

How much do physicians, pathologists make?

The median annual wage for physicians, pathologists was $312,400 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $92,540 and the highest-paid 10% more than $449,970. As an hourly rate, the median is $150.19. About 11,110 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Pennsylvania ($413,370), West Virginia ($400,070) and Nevada ($384,350). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in West Virginia.

Pay ladder

What each step of the pay range for physicians, pathologists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.

Physicians, Pathologists: pay at each percentile
StepAnnualHourlyMonthly grossMonthly after federal tax & FICA
10th percentile$92,540$44.49$7,712$6,161
25th percentile$186,300$89.57$15,525$11,550
Median$312,400$150.19$26,033$18,002
75th percentile$372,780$179.22$31,065$20,888
90th percentile$449,970$216.33$37,498$24,577

Physicians, Pathologists: pay by state

35 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.

1

West Virginia

$278,078 take-home in national prices

2

Pennsylvania

$267,447 take-home in national prices

3

Nevada

$257,345 take-home in national prices

Where a median physicians, pathologist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.

Annual wages by state, May 2025, with after-tax and price-adjusted estimates
StateEmploymentMedian10th pct.90th pct.Median after tax*In national prices†
Pennsylvania210$413,370$187,010$455,420$260,954$267,447
West Virginia50$400,070$64,350$407,990$248,872$278,078
Nevada40$384,350$61,750$384,550$257,290$257,345
IllinoisNot published$381,770$136,990$546,740$236,913$237,013
Minnesota550$362,270$80,860$486,990$215,332$218,343
New Jersey230$355,970$75,340$422,520$219,620$201,848
Texas1,530$345,830$105,560$407,800$235,199$242,331
Indiana380$340,300$174,840$359,420$222,018$237,888
Arizona270$338,290$97,920$506,410$222,812$221,313
KentuckyNot published$324,390$208,420$341,420$211,667$234,771
Iowa80$323,460$82,150$350,950$210,730$240,116
Rhode IslandNot published$322,950$228,590$362,900$204,765$200,201
New York1,220$321,550$91,680$493,460$201,968$187,144
Oklahoma130$317,850$201,280$412,160$205,395$233,821
Florida370$313,510$67,740$477,310$216,664$209,511
Ohio600$309,480$71,230$450,920$206,278$222,345
Michigan140$303,070$81,190$373,430$198,047$205,833
Washington200$300,680$93,310$460,870$206,073$192,568
Colorado50$294,510$77,330$442,560$192,705$186,998
Massachusetts320$285,240$97,640$459,920$185,560$175,459
MissouriNot published$261,830$196,360$371,290$175,342$193,071
Mississippi50$261,570$228,870$350,420$176,823$203,354
Maryland70$253,670$125,560$396,980$169,010$161,025
North Carolina340$248,940$220,330$420,870$169,507$179,704
Virginia110$240,780$134,790$347,470$160,976$159,218
South Carolina80$236,950$168,110$452,510$160,316$171,006
Nebraska90$229,140$71,000$465,980$157,436$174,729
Kansas30$224,280$127,770$480,090$152,334$169,132
Arkansas130$214,100$194,860$295,420$149,882$172,403
Georgia170$211,800$54,610$365,740$146,211$151,840
VermontNot published$188,250$62,780$492,180$129,490$132,189
California1,790$186,300$105,750$387,760$123,099$111,181
Wisconsin130$83,610$47,470$397,980$64,195$68,224
North Dakota30At or above BLS top rangeAt or above BLS top rangeAt or above BLS top range——
Oregon150At or above BLS top rangeAt or above BLS top rangeAt or above BLS top range——

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 29-1222. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).

Sources

  1. OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
  2. OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.