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Best states for a physician
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Julie Aultman Ph.D.
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Do you want to become a physician at Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for physicians that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that Wisconsin is the best state for physicians in America. The best city in America for physicians with the highest pay is Cleveland, TN.
The median salary for physicians in Wisconsin is $204,720. Compare that to the median salary in District of Columbia of $175,878, which ranked worst for physicians, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the West is best for physicians, and the Midwest is the worst. Cleveland, TN is the best city in the country for physician jobs, where as Wisconsin is the best state in the country.
10 best states for physicians in 2025
1. Wisconsin
Total physician jobs: 809 Average annual salary: $204,720 Lowest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $284,000 Location Quotient: 1.78
2. North Dakota
Total physician jobs: 126 Average annual salary: $204,657 Lowest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 1.64
3. Tennessee
Total physician jobs: 479 Average annual salary: $200,596 Lowest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
4. West Virginia
Total physician jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $202,327 Lowest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
5. Minnesota
Total physician jobs: 663 Average annual salary: $204,565 Lowest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $284,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
6. Indiana
Total physician jobs: 600 Average annual salary: $200,451 Lowest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $282,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
7. Maine
Total physician jobs: 262 Average annual salary: $199,087 Lowest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $279,000 Location Quotient: 2.4
8. Kentucky
Total physician jobs: 271 Average annual salary: $200,987 Lowest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
9. South Carolina
Total physician jobs: 486 Average annual salary: $200,347 Lowest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
10. Iowa
Total physician jobs: 255 Average annual salary: $202,012 Lowest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $283,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
Physician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a physician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a physician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $204,720 | $147,000 | 5,795,483 | 809 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $204,657 | $147,000 | 755,393 | 126 |
| 3 | Tennessee | $200,596 | $142,000 | 6,715,984 | 479 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $202,327 | $144,000 | 1,815,857 | 109 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $204,565 | $147,000 | 5,576,606 | 663 |
| 6 | Indiana | $200,451 | $142,000 | 6,666,818 | 600 |
| 7 | Maine | $199,087 | $142,000 | 1,335,907 | 262 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $200,987 | $142,000 | 4,454,189 | 271 |
| 9 | South Carolina | $200,347 | $141,000 | 5,024,369 | 486 |
| 10 | Iowa | $202,012 | $143,000 | 3,145,711 | 255 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $197,369 | $138,000 | 3,930,864 | 271 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $196,913 | $138,000 | 10,273,419 | 834 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $199,944 | $141,000 | 3,004,279 | 116 |
| 14 | Alaska | $196,522 | $138,000 | 739,795 | 117 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $198,175 | $140,000 | 579,315 | 44 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $199,859 | $141,000 | 2,984,100 | 113 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $192,397 | $133,000 | 869,666 | 176 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $195,007 | $136,000 | 2,088,070 | 308 |
| 19 | Alabama | $196,757 | $137,000 | 4,874,747 | 274 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $194,490 | $137,000 | 1,342,795 | 239 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $192,043 | $134,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,490 |
| 22 | Michigan | $194,866 | $136,000 | 9,962,311 | 584 |
| 23 | Washington | $197,702 | $139,000 | 7,405,743 | 614 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $196,093 | $137,000 | 1,920,076 | 134 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $193,837 | $134,000 | 4,684,333 | 264 |
| 26 | Delaware | $199,364 | $141,000 | 961,939 | 64 |
| 27 | Florida | $193,805 | $134,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,185 |
| 28 | Oregon | $195,049 | $137,000 | 4,142,776 | 400 |
| 29 | Vermont | $190,713 | $133,000 | 623,657 | 102 |
| 30 | Ohio | $192,629 | $133,000 | 11,658,609 | 555 |
| 31 | Virginia | $196,561 | $138,000 | 8,470,020 | 582 |
| 32 | Georgia | $193,859 | $134,000 | 10,429,379 | 669 |
| 33 | Texas | $191,138 | $132,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,436 |
| 34 | Kansas | $191,484 | $132,000 | 2,913,123 | 171 |
| 35 | Nevada | $184,846 | $126,000 | 2,998,039 | 256 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $189,182 | $131,000 | 3,588,184 | 370 |
| 37 | Arizona | $183,822 | $125,000 | 7,016,270 | 656 |
| 38 | Idaho | $191,310 | $133,000 | 1,716,943 | 89 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $181,503 | $121,000 | 1,427,538 | 136 |
| 40 | Maryland | $191,223 | $132,000 | 6,052,177 | 456 |
| 41 | Missouri | $188,352 | $129,000 | 6,113,532 | 352 |
| 42 | Illinois | $185,097 | $125,000 | 12,802,023 | 887 |
| 43 | Montana | $176,600 | $118,000 | 1,050,493 | 142 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $187,249 | $129,000 | 6,859,819 | 634 |
| 45 | New Jersey | $182,340 | $124,000 | 9,005,644 | 659 |
| 46 | New York | $170,421 | $113,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,696 |
| 47 | California | $185,206 | $127,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,832 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | $180,231 | $122,000 | 1,059,639 | 78 |
| 49 | Colorado | $186,461 | $127,000 | 5,607,154 | 312 |
| 50 | Utah | $178,931 | $120,000 | 3,101,833 | 123 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $175,878 | $117,000 | 693,972 | 56 |
Highest paying states for physicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Physician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $204,720 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $204,657 |
| 3 | Tennessee | $200,596 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $202,327 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $204,565 |
| 6 | Indiana | $200,451 |
| 7 | Maine | $199,087 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $200,987 |
| 9 | South Carolina | $200,347 |
| 10 | Iowa | $202,012 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $197,369 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $196,913 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $199,944 |
| 14 | Alaska | $196,522 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $198,175 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $199,859 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $192,397 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $195,007 |
| 19 | Alabama | $196,757 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $194,490 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $192,043 |
| 22 | Michigan | $194,866 |
| 23 | Washington | $197,702 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $196,093 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $193,837 |
| 26 | Delaware | $199,364 |
| 27 | Florida | $193,805 |
| 28 | Oregon | $195,049 |
| 29 | Vermont | $190,713 |
| 30 | Ohio | $192,629 |
| 31 | Virginia | $196,561 |
| 32 | Georgia | $193,859 |
| 33 | Texas | $191,138 |
| 34 | Kansas | $191,484 |
| 35 | Nevada | $184,846 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $189,182 |
| 37 | Arizona | $183,822 |
| 38 | Idaho | $191,310 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $181,503 |
| 40 | Maryland | $191,223 |
| 41 | Missouri | $188,352 |
| 42 | Illinois | $185,097 |
| 43 | Montana | $176,600 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $187,249 |
| 45 | New Jersey | $182,340 |
| 46 | New York | $170,421 |
| 47 | California | $185,206 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | $180,231 |
| 49 | Colorado | $186,461 |
| 50 | Utah | $178,931 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $175,878 |
Expert opinions on the best states for physicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for physicians to find work opportunities?
Julie Aultman Ph.D.
Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University
We need this future workforce to be innovative, to make important changes - from environmental and global warming initiatives (bioethicists who have a passion for environmental ethics) to being researchers and advocates for patients and others who might fall victim to the negative impact of the pandemic (clinical ethics, health humanities scholars). The transition to work will be slow, as the revitalization of our national economy, but there will be work.
We need these future minds more than anything right now. But again, mentors are going to be essential for helping these graduates get to that next phase in their lives. I am fully confident my dual-enrolled students (medical or pharmacy students who are also taking the Masters program in Medical Ethics and Humanities) will find work opportunities. For my traditional graduate students who are not in the health professions, there will be roles for these students in medicine and science (e.g., regulatory compliance).
However, I do encourage them to work toward a doctoral program as the MA degree is a non-terminal degree. I have had students receive work prior to the pandemic, and I would suspect similar opportunities post-pandemic, particularly in the sciences where ethics and compliance are so essential.
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Updated January 8, 2025