Can money buy happiness? Comparing physicians' salaries, burnout levels

Although the role of physician was ranked the 13th best job for 2023, 53 percent of providers said they are burned out and 23 reported experiencing depression, according to a survey published Jan. 27 by Medscape.

The 2023 "Physician Burnout & Depression Report" surveyed 9,175 providers in more than 29 specialties from June 28 to Oct. 3 about how burnout and depression have affected them in the last year. 

Although the average annual salary for physicians of all specialties increased in the last year, the rate of burnout and depression among physicians has increased by 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively, since 2018, according to Medscape's survey.

To examine the relationship between salary and feelings of burnout and depression, here is a chart comparing the average annual salary and number of specialists who reported burnout, listed by salary:

Specialty

Average salary

Percent who reported burnout 

Plastic surgery

$576,000

46%

Orthopedics

$557,000

45%

Cardiology

$490,000

43%

Otolaryngology

$469,000

49%

Urology

$461,000

47%

Gastroenterology

$453,000

52%

Dermatology

$438,000

49%

Radiology

$437,000

54%

Ophthalmology

$417,000

48%

Oncology

$411,000

52%

Anesthesiology

$405,000

55%

General surgery

$402,000

51%

Emergency medicine

$373,000

65%

Critical care

$369,000

55%

Pulmonary medicine

$353,000

54%

Obstetrics and gynecology

$336,000

58%

Pathology

$334,000

39%

Nephrology

$329,000

44%

Neurology

$301,000

55%

Allergy and immunology

$298,000

49%

Rheumatology

$289,000

50%

Psychiatry

$287,000

47%

Internal medicine

$264,000

60%

Infectious diseases

$260,000

58%

Diabetes and endocrinology

$257,000

51%

Family medicine

$255,000

57%

Pediatrics

$244,000

59%

Public health

$243,000

37%

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