National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Doctors at $236,000/year. Doctors earn 271% more nationally. The gap is $172,320 per year — or $14,360 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
Annual salary gap
$172,320
Doctors earn 271% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,953,298.
Best states for Doctors
vs Teachers
Texas+$180,000
Alaska+$179,420
Minnesota+$179,400
Colorado+$178,580
Wisconsin+$177,090
Best states for Teachers
vs Doctors
Wyoming+$-156,140
Arkansas+$-158,450
West Virginia+$-158,450
Mississippi+$-161,490
Iowa+$-162,700
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $236,000 for Doctors — a difference of $172,320 per year or $14,360 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Doctors is $172,320 per year. Doctors earn 271% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,953,298.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Massachusetts pays Doctors the highest median salary at $258,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Doctors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers and Physicians and Surgeons 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 per hour nationally and Doctors earn approximately $113 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.
