Wages of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of all occupations. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2010, physicians practicing primary care received total median annual compensation of $202,392, and physicians practicing in medical specialties received total median annual compensation of $356,885.
Median annual compensations for selected specialties in 2010, as reported by the Medical Group Management Association, were as follows:
| Anesthesiology | $407,292 |
| General surgery | 343,958 |
| Obstetrics/gynecology | 281,190 |
| Internal medicine | 205,379 |
| Psychiatry | 200,694 |
| Pediatrics/adolecent medicine | 192,148 |
| Family practice (without obstetrics) | 189,402 |
Earnings vary with the physician’s or surgeon’s number of years in practice, geographic region of practice, hours worked, skill, personality, and professional reputation.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition