National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Doctors earn 60% more nationally. The gap is $142,400 per year — or $11,867 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$142,400
Doctors earn 60% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,614,146.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Doctors
California+$-119,020
Hawaii+$-127,520
Oregon+$-127,920
Nevada+$-129,920
Washington+$-133,920
Best states for Doctors
vs Registered Nurses
Wisconsin+$157,520
Texas+$155,920
Ohio+$155,520
Pennsylvania+$153,520
Missouri+$153,120
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $142,400 per year or $11,867 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Registered Nurses is $142,400 per year. Doctors earn 60% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,614,146.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
