Cardiologists in the U.S. now earn an average of $506,000 annually, down 4% from $525,000 last year, according to Medscape’s 2025 Physician Compensation Report. Despite the decline, cardiology remains the 4th highest-paid specialty, behind orthopedics, radiology, and plastic surgery.
Key Highlights:
- Average U.S. physician income: $376,000
- Primary care: $281,000
- Specialists: $398,000
- Top earning specialties:
- Orthopedics: $543K
- Radiology: $520K
- Plastic Surgery: $516K
- Anesthesiology trails close behind at $499K.
Systemic Pay Concerns:
- 53% of physicians feel personally underpaid.
- 60% believe their specialty is undercompensated.
- The gender pay gap widened to $98,000—the highest ever.
- Racial and ethnic pay disparities also grew, countering equity efforts.
The dip in cardiologist compensation comes amid a national shortage. Whether this is a short-term fluctuation or a long-term trend remains to be seen.
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