Medical doctor demographics and statistics in the US
Medical doctor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates medical doctor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our medical doctor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about medical doctors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 16,102 medical doctors currently employed in the United States.
- 53.1% of all medical doctors are women, while 46.9% are men.
- The average medical doctor age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of medical doctors is White (61.2%), followed by Asian (19.0%), Hispanic or Latino (9.9%) and Black or African American (5.3%).
- Medical doctors are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- The transportation industry is the highest-paying for medical doctors.
- Brownsville, TX pays an annual average wage of $190,328, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women medical doctors earned 86% of what men earned.
- 13% of all medical doctors are LGBT.
- West Virginia is the best state for medical doctors to live.
- Medical doctors are 86% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Medical doctor demographics by:
Medical doctor gender statistics
53.1% of medical doctors are women and 46.9% of medical doctors are men.
- Female, 53.1%
- Male, 46.9%
Medical doctor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.1% |
| Male | 46.9% |
Medical doctor gender pay gap
Women earn 86¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$189,228
Female income
$162,977
Medical doctor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in medical doctor positions over time. Currently, 53.1% of medical doctors are female.
Medical doctor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 55.46% | 44.54% |
| 2011 | 53.94% | 46.06% |
| 2012 | 54.81% | 45.19% |
| 2013 | 53.25% | 46.75% |
| 2014 | 52.36% | 47.64% |
| 2015 | 52.59% | 47.41% |
| 2016 | 51.78% | 48.22% |
| 2017 | 49.78% | 50.22% |
| 2018 | 48.12% | 51.88% |
| 2019 | 48.04% | 51.96% |
| 2020 | 46.54% | 53.46% |
| 2021 | 46.93% | 53.07% |
Medical doctor related jobs gender ratio
We compared medical doctors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Medical Doctor | 47% | 53% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Medical doctor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among medical doctors is White, which makes up 61.2% of all medical doctors. Comparatively, 19.0% of medical doctors are Asian and 9.9% of medical doctors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 61.2%
- Asian, 19.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.9%
- Black or African American, 5.3%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Medical doctor race
| Medical doctor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.2% |
| Asian | 19.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.9% |
| Black or African American | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Medical doctor race and ethnicity over time
See how medical doctor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Medical doctor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.86% | 5.27% | 16.62% | 8.89% |
| 2011 | 66.91% | 5.35% | 16.54% | 8.74% |
| 2012 | 66.98% | 5.10% | 16.19% | 9.27% |
| 2013 | 65.07% | 5.53% | 17.41% | 9.49% |
| 2014 | 66.15% | 5.15% | 16.97% | 9.23% |
| 2015 | 66.28% | 5.00% | 17.20% | 9.30% |
| 2016 | 64.23% | 5.38% | 18.61% | 8.97% |
| 2017 | 64.85% | 5.24% | 17.77% | 9.40% |
| 2018 | 64.28% | 5.32% | 17.99% | 9.51% |
| 2019 | 64.52% | 4.91% | 18.59% | 9.21% |
| 2020 | 62.02% | 5.15% | 18.72% | 9.75% |
| 2021 | 61.18% | 5.29% | 19.01% | 9.86% |
Medical doctor wage gap by race
According to our data, white medical doctors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown medical doctors have the lowest average salary at $183,615.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $183,615 |
| White | $195,514 |
| Black or African American | $184,047 |
| Asian | $194,739 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $188,565 |
Average medical doctor age
See how the average age of medical doctors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Medical doctor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | 43 |
| White | 51 | 45 |
| Black or African American | 51 | 42 |
| Asian | 46 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 | 44 |
Medical doctor age breakdown
The average age of medical doctors is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the medical doctor population.
Medical doctor age breakdown
| Medical Doctor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 1% |
Medical doctor educational attainment
The most common degree for medical doctors is doctoral degree, with 56% of medical doctors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 24% and bachelor's degree degree at 7%.
- Doctorate, 56%
- Bachelor's, 24%
- Master's, 7%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Medical doctors by degree level
| Medical doctor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 56% |
| Bachelor's | 24% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Medical doctor jobs you might like
Medical doctor employment statistics
Most medical doctors work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where medical doctors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where medical doctors work.
Medical doctor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Medical doctor jobs by company type
Employees with the medical doctor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most medical doctors prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Medical doctor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Private | 86% |
| Government | 5% |
Medical doctor jobs by industry
The most common industries for medical doctors are health care, education and professional.
Medical doctor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 70% |
| Education | 7% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Media | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Medical doctor turnover and employment statistics
Medical doctor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for medical doctors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medical doctor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Medical doctor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.73% |
| 2011 | 0.72% |
| 2012 | 0.53% |
| 2013 | 0.68% |
| 2014 | 0.67% |
| 2015 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | 0.38% |
| 2017 | 0.38% |
| 2018 | 0.55% |
| 2019 | 0.43% |
| 2020 | 0.67% |
| 2021 | 0.61% |
Average medical doctor tenure
The average medical doctor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,297 medical doctors resumes in Zippia's database.
Medical doctor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Medical doctor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of medical doctors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Speech Correction Consultant | 5.69% | 29,130 |
| Adult Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 28,220 |
| Physician Extender | 11.62% | 73,599 |
| Sex Therapist | 13.00% | 33,260 |
| Medical Doctor | 13.05% | - |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Similar medical doctor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Speech Correction Consultant | 5.69% | 29,130 |
| Adult Psychiatrist | 9.88% | 28,220 |
| Physician Extender | 11.62% | 73,599 |
| Sex Therapist | 13.00% | 33,260 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Foreign languages spoken by medical doctors
The most common foreign language among medical doctors is Spanish at 53.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.9% and Russian is the third-most popular at 8.9%.
- Spanish, 53.2%
- French, 8.9%
- Russian, 8.9%
- Arabic, 5.1%
- Chinese, 3.2%
- Other, 20.7%
Medical doctor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 53.2% |
| French | 8.9% |
| Russian | 8.9% |
| Arabic | 5.1% |
| Chinese | 3.2% |
| Other | 20.7% |
