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.

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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$11,559
Median$312,400$150.19$26,033$18,579
75th percentile$372,780$179.22$31,065$21,731
90th percentile$449,970$216.33$37,498$25,761

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

$291,000 take-home in national prices

2

Pennsylvania

$280,022 take-home in national prices

3

Nevada

$268,078 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$273,223$280,022
West Virginia50$400,070$64,350$407,990$260,436$291,000
Nevada40$384,350$61,750$384,550$268,022$268,078
IllinoisNot published$381,770$136,990$546,740$247,508$247,612
Minnesota550$362,270$80,860$486,990$224,893$228,038
New Jersey230$355,970$75,340$422,520$228,848$210,328
Texas1,530$345,830$105,560$407,800$243,889$251,285
Indiana380$340,300$174,840$359,420$230,415$246,885
Arizona270$338,290$97,920$506,410$231,102$229,548
KentuckyNot published$324,390$208,420$341,420$219,221$243,149
Iowa80$323,460$82,150$350,950$218,235$248,667
Rhode IslandNot published$322,950$228,590$362,900$212,243$207,511
New York1,220$321,550$91,680$493,460$206,757$191,582
Oklahoma130$317,850$201,280$412,160$212,602$242,025
Florida370$313,510$67,740$477,310$223,641$216,258
Ohio600$309,480$71,230$450,920$213,042$229,635
Michigan140$303,070$81,190$373,430$204,470$212,510
Washington200$300,680$93,310$460,870$212,370$198,452
Colorado50$294,510$77,330$442,560$198,675$192,791
Massachusetts320$285,240$97,640$459,920$191,039$180,639
MissouriNot published$261,830$196,360$371,290$179,580$197,738
Mississippi50$261,570$228,870$350,420$181,047$208,212
Maryland70$253,670$125,560$396,980$172,816$164,651
North Carolina340$248,940$220,330$420,870$173,062$183,472
Virginia110$240,780$134,790$347,470$164,098$162,306
South Carolina80$236,950$168,110$452,510$163,236$174,120
Nebraska90$229,140$71,000$465,980$159,941$177,509
Kansas30$224,280$127,770$480,090$154,582$171,628
Arkansas130$214,100$194,860$295,420$151,590$174,368
Georgia170$211,800$54,610$365,740$147,797$153,487
VermontNot published$188,250$62,780$492,180$129,722$132,427
California1,790$186,300$105,750$387,760$123,211$111,281
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.