Physicians are earning an average of $49,000 per year in incentive bonuses, a $1,000 increase from the year before, Medscape’s Physician Compensation report found.
Medscape surveyed 5,916 physicians across more than 29 specialties between Sept. 5 and Dec. 17, 2025. “‘A Return to Normalization’: Physician Compensation Report 2026” also used data from the 2024 survey for these specialties: allergy and immunology, critical care, infectious disease, nephrology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, public health and preventive medicine, pulmonary medicine and rheumatology.
This year, Medscape surveyed physicians on the factors that affect their incentive bonus calculations. About 85% of physicians have an opportunity to earn some kind of productivity-based pay, either through a bonus or some other plan.
Here are the factors influencing bonuses the most:
- Relative value units generated: 59%
- Quality care metrics: 46%
- Patient satisfaction ratings: 26%
- Records completion: 24%
- Number of procedures: 17%
- Patient mix: 11%
- Payer mix: 11%
- Patient throughput time: 10%
- Cost of care reduction: 10%
- Other: 15%
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