Compensation for primary care physicians jumped by more than 10 percent during the past five years — nearly double the pay increase for specialty physicians during the same period, a report from the Medical Group Management Association found.
MGMA gathered data from 136,000-plus providers across more than 5,800 organizations. The survey includes data from physician-owned practices, hospital-owned practices, academic practices and other U.S. providers from small and large practices.
Here are four statistics on physician compensation by the MGMA.
1. For primary care physicians, increases in median compensation differed significantly across states during the last five years. Median total compensation declined for primary care physicians in two states: Alabama (-9 percent) and New York (-3 percent).
2. However, numerous states saw increases in median total compensation compared to the national rate. The top five states were:
- Wyoming — 41 percent
- Maryland — 29 percent
- Louisiana — 27 percent
- Missouri — 24 percent
- Mississippi — 21 percent
3. The District of Columbia paid physicians the least, with $205,776 in median total compensation, while Nevada, the highest-paying state, provided physicians with $309,431 in median total compensation.
4. Depending on medical specialty, the difference in physician compensation between the highest-paid state and the lowest-paid state ranged between $100,000 and nearly $270,000.