Radiologists average $419K per year, ranking 6th among specialists
Radiologists reported a yearly salary of $419,000, according to results of the Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2019. The figure is 4% higher than the specialties’ average salary in Medscape’s 2018 report.
The report included more than 19,000 physicians (4% were radiologists) and found the group earned the same average salary as dermatologists, but trailed cardiologists, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons and orthopedics, with the latter claiming the highest average salary.
Radiology takes home much more than the $341,000 average physician specialist. As a whole, however, specialists are doing well. The 2019 salaries are 20% higher than those in Medscape’s 2015 report. In comparison, primary care physicians earn an average of $237,000, an increase of 21.5% since 2015.
Although salary may not be the primary reason for feeling fairly compensated, most of the higher-earning specialties, including 66% in radiology, said they felt fairly compensated.
Across specialties, a majority said they would pursue medicine again. In radiology 74% agreed, among the bottom five specialties. However, 92% of radiologists said they would stick with the same specialty, among the top five surveyed.
Disparities still linger
In radiology, women make up a mere 21% of the specialty, among the lowest of the more than 30 specialties included in the survey. Among the top two specialties—OB-GYN and pediatrics—women make up 61% and 60% of all practitioners, respectively.
Male physician specialists still earn 33% more than women, reporting an average salary of $372,000 compared to the $280,000 average for women.
“With the exception of ob/gyn, women often choose to practice one of the lower-paying specialties,” the survey read. “However, the preponderance of women in the lower-paying specialties doesn’t explain the pay disparity within each specialty.”
Disparities also remain among different races and ethnicities. Caucasian/ white physicians earn an average of $219,000. In comparison, African Americans earned $281,000, Asians earned $300,00 and Hispanic/Latinos earned $303,000.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.