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The average salary for a medical examiner is $156,092 annually, translating to approximately $75 per hour. This figure varies based on several factors, including years of experience, educational background, and geographical location. For instance, medical examiners with over 10 years of experience typically earn significantly more than their entry-level counterparts.
Entry-level positions may start around $100,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $200,000 or more, particularly in metropolitan areas. The demand for skilled medical examiners is increasing, leading to better compensation packages as organizations seek qualified candidates.
States such as California, New York, and Florida offer some of the highest salaries for medical examiners. Urban centers in these states often provide additional financial incentives, reflecting the higher cost of living and greater demand for forensic services. It’s crucial for aspiring medical examiners to consider these factors when evaluating job opportunities.
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The highest-paying states for medical examiners are Massachusetts, Hawaii, and California. The lowest average medical examiner salary states are Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $114,069 | $54.84 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $136,237 | $65.50 |
| 3 | California | $128,803 | $61.92 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $111,723 | $53.71 |
| 5 | Arizona | $117,934 | $56.70 |
| 6 | New York | $124,677 | $59.94 |
| 7 | Maryland | $126,380 | $60.76 |
| 8 | Nevada | $108,072 | $51.96 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $128,377 | $61.72 |
| 10 | Utah | $105,291 | $50.62 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $121,114 | $58.23 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $117,666 | $56.57 |
| 13 | Maine | $108,627 | $52.22 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $129,656 | $62.33 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $120,139 | $57.76 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $102,490 | $49.27 |
| 17 | Virginia | $111,157 | $53.44 |
| 18 | Texas | $107,528 | $51.70 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $102,720 | $49.38 |
| 20 | Delaware | $106,903 | $51.40 |
| 21 | Georgia | $102,047 | $49.06 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $110,476 | $53.11 |
| 23 | Florida | $106,984 | $51.43 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $97,519 | $46.88 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $94,937 | $45.64 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $98,930 | $47.56 |
| 27 | Illinois | $98,468 | $47.34 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $103,202 | $49.62 |
| 29 | Iowa | $99,181 | $47.68 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $102,436 | $49.25 |
| 31 | Oregon | $105,864 | $50.90 |
| 32 | Vermont | $103,802 | $49.90 |
| 33 | Alabama | $91,324 | $43.91 |
| 34 | Idaho | $81,743 | $39.30 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $87,918 | $42.27 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $87,657 | $42.14 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $92,852 | $44.64 |
| 38 | Missouri | $79,411 | $38.18 |
| 39 | Alaska | $96,196 | $46.25 |
| 40 | Indiana | $90,420 | $43.47 |
| 41 | Michigan | $89,234 | $42.90 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $71,980 | $34.61 |
| 43 | Montana | $64,925 | $31.21 |
| 44 | Kansas | $91,138 | $43.82 |
| 45 | Washington | $93,390 | $44.90 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $85,774 | $41.24 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $84,082 | $40.42 |
| 48 | Colorado | $79,994 | $38.46 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $66,006 | $31.73 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $74,497 | $35.82 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $72,458 | $34.84 |
The highest-paying cities for medical examiners are Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, and Oakland, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $169,779 | $81.62 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $153,600 | $73.85 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $149,055 | $71.66 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $148,549 | $71.42 |
| 5 | Akron, OH | $138,885 | $66.77 |
| 6 | Farmington, CT | $138,808 | $66.73 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $137,031 | $65.88 |
| 8 | North Brunswick, NJ | $134,630 | $64.73 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $133,084 | $63.98 |
| 10 | Norfolk, VA | $127,573 | $61.33 |
| 11 | Corpus Christi, TX | $123,271 | $59.26 |
| 12 | Plantation, FL | $121,035 | $58.19 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $118,483 | $56.96 |
| 14 | Wilmington, DE | $117,335 | $56.41 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $116,994 | $56.25 |
| 16 | Jackson, MS | $116,874 | $56.19 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $112,620 | $54.14 |
| 18 | Jackson, MI | $96,116 | $46.21 |
| 19 | West Bend, WI | $93,331 | $44.87 |
| 20 | Spokane, WA | $89,380 | $42.97 |
A medical examiner's salary ranges from $78,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $308,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $308,000 | $25,667 | $148 |
| 75th Percentile | $223,000 | $18,583 | $107 |
| Average | $156,092 | $13,008 | $75 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
The highest paying types of medical examiners are md, medical internship, and examiner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD | $75,011 | $6,251 | $36.06 | 58,569 |
| Medical Assisting Extern | $35,737 | $2,978 | $17.18 | 81,077 |
| Medical Internship | $50,843 | $4,237 | $24.44 | 127,692 |
| Examiner | $46,323 | $3,860 | $22.27 | 6,901 |
| Medical Scribe | $30,045 | $2,504 | $14.44 | 80,035 |
Top companies hiring medical examiners now:
Medical examiner salaries at Bexar County and Maricopa County are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average medical examiner salary at companies like Washington County and Tarrant County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bexar County | $213,007 | $102.41 |
| 2 | Maricopa County | $204,564 | $98.35 |
| 3 | Washington County | $200,379 | $96.34 |
| 4 | Tarrant County | $191,824 | $92.22 |
| 5 | Nueces County | $191,418 | $92.03 |
| 6 | Delaware State Government | $163,179 | $78.45 |
| 7 | State of Connecticut | $140,961 | $67.77 |
| 8 | Kaiser Permanente | $121,156 | $58.25 |
| 9 | ICW Group | $115,985 | $55.76 |
| 10 | City and County of Denver Government | $112,939 | $54.30 |
| 11 | Jackson Services Inc | $66,843 | $32.14 |
| 12 | Dane County | $62,195 | $29.90 |
| 13 | State of Rhode Island | $58,255 | $28.01 |
| 14 | State of West Virginia | $53,843 | $25.89 |
| 15 | Maine | $52,209 | $25.10 |
| 16 | Virginia.gov | $50,978 | $24.51 |
| 17 | Western Michigan University | $50,277 | $24.17 |
| 18 | Nyc Parks | $48,354 | $23.25 |
| 19 | Fulton County Government Center | $48,199 | $23.17 |
| 20 | Summit County | $47,579 | $22.87 |
The average medical examiner salary has risen by $29,389 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average medical examiner earned $126,703 annually, but today, they earn $156,092 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for medical examiners over the last decade.
Compare medical examiner salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare medical examiner salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $156,000 | $75.04 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $152,000 | $72.85 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $146,000 | $70.36 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $141,000 | $67.99 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $137,000 | $66.02 | +3.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenlife Healthcare Staffing | Consultative Medical Examiner | Auburn, WA | 06/24/2025 | $250,440 |
| County of Santa Clara | Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator | San Jose, CA | 06/18/2025 | $130,667 |
| Oakland County, Michigan | Medical Examiner Investigator Supervisor | Pontiac, MI | 06/18/2025 | $70,191 |
| County of Santa Clara (Ca | Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator | Santa Clara, CA | 06/17/2025 | $118,400 |
| Suffolkcountyny | Deputy Medical Examiner-Pathologist | Hauppauge, NY | 06/09/2025 | $154,825 |
| New York City, Ny | City Medical Examiner, II (Senior Medical Examiner) | New York, NY | 06/08/2025 | $240,304 |
| Greenlife Healthcare Staffing | Consultative Medical Examiner | Federal Way, WA | 05/17/2025 | $112,698 |
| Waukesha County (Wi | Deputy Medical Examiner Supervisor | Waukesha, WI | 05/13/2025 | $74,673 |
| Fort Bend County | Investigator-Medical Examiner's Office | Rosenberg, TX | 04/28/2025 | $76,301 |
| Suffolkcountyny | Deputy Medical Examiner-Pathologist | Hauppauge, NY | 04/28/2025 | $154,825 |
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