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The differences between lawyers and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, which is higher than the $115,808 average annual salary of a lawyer.
The top three skills for a lawyer include litigation, law firm and legal issues. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.
| Lawyer | Doctor | |
| Yearly salary | $115,808 | $208,582 |
| Hourly rate | $55.68 | $100.28 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 2,897 | 14,571 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.
Lawyers and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lawyer | Doctor | |
| Average salary | $115,808 | $208,582 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $208,000 | Between $106,000 And $408,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Green Bay, WI |
| Highest paying state | New York | Ohio |
| Best paying company | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough | Saint Luke's Health System |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a lawyer and a doctor in terms of educational background:
| Lawyer | Doctor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Law | Medicine |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between lawyers' and doctors' demographics:
| Lawyer | Doctor | |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 13% |