National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Police Officers at $72,280/year. Doctors earn 69% more nationally. The gap is $163,720 per year — or $13,643 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
Annual salary gap
$163,720
Doctors earn 69% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,855,814.
Best states for Police Officers
vs Doctors
California+$-144,000
Hawaii+$-156,000
Nevada+$-156,000
Wyoming+$-156,000
Arkansas+$-158,000
Best states for Doctors
vs Police Officers
Minnesota+$176,000
New Hampshire+$176,000
North Carolina+$176,000
Texas+$176,000
Wisconsin+$176,000
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $72,280 for Police Officers — a difference of $163,720 per year or $13,643 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Police Officers is $163,720 per year. Doctors earn 69% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,855,814.
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 Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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 Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
