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Best states for a Doctor

Quoted Expert
Dr. Reid B. Blackwelder
  • Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for doctors? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for doctor jobs.In fact, our research shows that Wisconsin is the best state for doctors in America. The best city in America for doctors with the highest pay is Green Bay, WI.
Wisconsin is the best state for jobs for doctors, and Georgia is the worst. The most common pay in Wisconsin is $180,503, while the median pay in Georgia is $151,932.If you are currently seeking employment as a doctor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for doctors in 2025

  1. Wisconsin #1 best state for doctors

    1. Wisconsin

    Total Doctor Jobs:482
    Average Annual Salary:$180,503
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$120,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$271,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.93
  2. North Dakota #2 best state for doctors

    2. North Dakota

    Total Doctor Jobs:70
    Average Annual Salary:$176,815
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$115,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$269,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.66
  3. South Dakota #3 best state for doctors

    3. South Dakota

    Total Doctor Jobs:88
    Average Annual Salary:$172,822
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$111,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$266,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.82
  4. North Carolina #4 best state for doctors

    4. North Carolina

    Total Doctor Jobs:561
    Average Annual Salary:$178,023
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$118,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$266,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.29
  5. West Virginia #5 best state for doctors

    5. West Virginia

    Total Doctor Jobs:86
    Average Annual Salary:$174,807
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$115,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$264,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.25
  6. Ohio #6 best state for doctors

    6. Ohio

    Total Doctor Jobs:354
    Average Annual Salary:$181,890
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$122,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$270,000
    Location Quotient:
    0.77
  7. Mississippi #7 best state for doctors

    7. Mississippi

    Total Doctor Jobs:97
    Average Annual Salary:$176,522
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$116,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$266,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.01
  8. Missouri #8 best state for doctors

    8. Missouri

    Total Doctor Jobs:249
    Average Annual Salary:$179,564
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$119,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$270,000
    Location Quotient:
    0.94
  9. Oklahoma #9 best state for doctors

    9. Oklahoma

    Total Doctor Jobs:170
    Average Annual Salary:$171,671
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$112,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$262,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.22
  10. Alaska #10 best state for doctors

    10. Alaska

    Total Doctor Jobs:69
    Average Annual Salary:$170,299
    Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$108,000
    Highest 10 Percent Earn:$268,000
    Location Quotient:
    1.83

Doctor JobsNear Ashburn, VA

How Zippia determines the best states to be a doctor

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a doctor

RankStateAverage SalaryLowest 10% EarnPopulationJob Count
1Wisconsin$180,503$120,0005,795,483482
2North Dakota$176,815$115,000755,39370
3South Dakota$172,822$111,000869,66688
4North Carolina$178,023$118,00010,273,419561
5West Virginia$174,807$115,0001,815,85786
6Ohio$181,890$122,00011,658,609354
7Mississippi$176,522$116,0002,984,10097
8Missouri$179,564$119,0006,113,532249
9Oklahoma$171,671$112,0003,930,864170
10Alaska$170,299$108,000739,79569
11Tennessee$171,252$111,0006,715,984227
12Delaware$179,136$120,000961,93938
13Kentucky$165,750$106,0004,454,189223
14Utah$174,997$114,0003,101,83368
15Texas$169,168$110,00028,304,596995
16Louisiana$165,738$106,0004,684,333226
17Kansas$167,869$107,0002,913,123132
18Nevada$163,607$104,0002,998,039150
19Massachusetts$175,526$116,0006,859,819268
20Wyoming$163,918$103,000579,31529
21Maryland$172,691$113,0006,052,177294
22Arkansas$167,289$107,0003,004,27971
23Connecticut$173,770$114,0003,588,18499
24Michigan$165,212$105,0009,962,311294
25Florida$164,669$105,00020,984,400861
26New Mexico$157,803$99,0002,088,070200
27Maine$160,587$101,0001,335,90784
28Alabama$163,161$104,0004,874,747186
29Minnesota$159,501$99,0005,576,606432
30Oregon$167,003$106,0004,142,776160
31California$171,150$111,00039,536,653848
32Virginia$167,183$108,0008,470,020385
33New Jersey$170,493$111,0009,005,644224
34Iowa$161,155$101,0003,145,711139
35South Carolina$156,542$98,0005,024,369254
36Indiana$155,516$97,0006,666,818328
37Montana$153,515$93,0001,050,49381
38Rhode Island$164,059$105,0001,059,63927
39Colorado$163,471$103,0005,607,154182
40Illinois$157,324$98,00012,802,023596
41District of Columbia$168,015$109,000693,97216
42Idaho$155,564$96,0001,716,94368
43Pennsylvania$150,070$93,00012,805,537561
44Hawaii$119,039$65,0001,427,53897
45Washington$157,816$98,0007,405,743281
46Vermont$147,734$90,000623,65746
47New York$156,792$99,00019,849,399573
48Nebraska$154,013$95,0001,920,07668
49New Hampshire$146,971$90,0001,342,79598
50Arizona$136,537$81,0007,016,270366
51Georgia$151,932$94,00010,429,379423

Highest paying states for doctors

RankStateAvg. Doctor Salary
1Wisconsin$180,503
2North Dakota$176,815
3South Dakota$172,822
4North Carolina$178,023
5West Virginia$174,807
6Ohio$181,890
7Mississippi$176,522
8Missouri$179,564
9Oklahoma$171,671
10Alaska$170,299
11Tennessee$171,252
12Delaware$179,136
13Kentucky$165,750
14Utah$174,997
15Texas$169,168
16Louisiana$165,738
17Kansas$167,869
18Nevada$163,607
19Massachusetts$175,526
20Wyoming$163,918
21Maryland$172,691
22Arkansas$167,289
23Connecticut$173,770
24Michigan$165,212
25Florida$164,669
26New Mexico$157,803
27Maine$160,587
28Alabama$163,161
29Minnesota$159,501
30Oregon$167,003
31California$171,150
32Virginia$167,183
33New Jersey$170,493
34Iowa$161,155
35South Carolina$156,542
36Indiana$155,516
37Montana$153,515
38Rhode Island$164,059
39Colorado$163,471
40Illinois$157,324
41District of Columbia$168,015
42Idaho$155,564
43Pennsylvania$150,070
44Hawaii$119,039
45Washington$157,816
46Vermont$147,734
47New York$156,792
48Nebraska$154,013
49New Hampshire$146,971
50Arizona$136,537
51Georgia$151,932

Expert opinions on the best states for doctors

  • Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Doctors to find work opportunities?

    Dr. Reid B. BlackwelderDr. Reid B. Blackwelder LinkedIn Profile

    Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University

    Family physicians actually are the most recruited specialty, according to Merritt-Hawkins, for the last 14 years! So family physicians can find a good job in communities with needs easily. Family physicians do tend to locate in rural and underserved areas, more than physicians in other specialties.

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