National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Doctors earn 62% more nationally. The gap is $146,990 per year — or $12,249 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$146,990
Doctors earn 62% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,666,175.
Best states for Nurses
vs Doctors
California+$-120,850
Hawaii+$-134,000
Nevada+$-139,000
Oregon+$-139,000
Arizona+$-144,000
Best states for Doctors
vs Nurses
Minnesota+$166,000
Wisconsin+$164,000
Maryland+$163,000
Pennsylvania+$161,000
Massachusetts+$160,000
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $146,990 per year or $12,249 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Nurses is $146,990 per year. Doctors earn 62% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,666,175.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Massachusetts pays Doctors the highest median salary at $258,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Salary is one factor — Doctors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physicians and Surgeons and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Doctors earn approximately $113 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
