Doctor demographics and statistics in the US
Doctor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates doctor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 doctors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 16,721 doctors currently employed in the United States.
- 54.2% of all doctors are women, while 45.8% are men.
- The average doctor age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of doctors is White (62.2%), followed by Asian (18.6%), Hispanic or Latino (9.5%) and Black or African American (5.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 85% of what men earned.
- 13% of all doctors are LGBT.
- Doctors are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Doctor demographics by:
Doctor gender statistics
54.2% of doctors are women and 45.8% of doctors are men.
- Female, 54.2%
- Male, 45.8%
Doctor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.2% |
| Male | 45.8% |
Doctor gender pay gap
Women earn 85¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$217,375
Female income
$185,098
Doctor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in doctor positions over time. Currently, 54.2% of doctors are female.
Doctor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.97% | 47.03% |
| 2011 | 51.45% | 48.55% |
| 2012 | 52.31% | 47.69% |
| 2013 | 50.75% | 49.25% |
| 2014 | 49.85% | 50.15% |
| 2015 | 50.09% | 49.91% |
| 2016 | 49.27% | 50.73% |
| 2017 | 47.28% | 52.72% |
| 2018 | 46.92% | 53.08% |
| 2019 | 47.05% | 52.95% |
| 2020 | 45.47% | 54.53% |
| 2021 | 45.80% | 54.20% |
Doctor related jobs gender ratio
We compared 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% |
| Doctor | 46% | 54% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Doctor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among doctors is White, which makes up 62.2% of all doctors. Comparatively, 18.6% of doctors are Asian and 9.5% of doctors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 62.2%
- Asian, 18.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.5%
- Black or African American, 5.1%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Doctor race
| Doctor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.2% |
| Asian | 18.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.5% |
| Black or African American | 5.1% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Doctor race and ethnicity over time
See how doctor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Doctor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.14% | 5.17% | 16.72% | 8.64% |
| 2011 | 67.19% | 5.24% | 16.64% | 8.49% |
| 2012 | 67.26% | 5.00% | 16.30% | 9.02% |
| 2013 | 65.35% | 5.42% | 17.51% | 9.24% |
| 2014 | 66.44% | 5.04% | 17.08% | 8.98% |
| 2015 | 66.56% | 4.90% | 17.30% | 9.04% |
| 2016 | 64.51% | 5.27% | 18.71% | 8.72% |
| 2017 | 65.13% | 5.13% | 17.87% | 9.15% |
| 2018 | 65.26% | 5.12% | 17.54% | 9.22% |
| 2019 | 65.62% | 4.71% | 18.06% | 8.86% |
| 2020 | 63.17% | 4.87% | 18.17% | 9.41% |
| 2021 | 62.18% | 5.06% | 18.64% | 9.52% |
Doctor wage gap by race
According to our data, white doctors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american doctors have the lowest average salary at $210,572.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $212,825 |
| White | $224,853 |
| Black or African American | $210,572 |
| Asian | $222,854 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $216,124 |
Average doctor age
See how the average age of doctors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
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 |
Doctor age breakdown
The average age of doctors is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the doctor population.
Doctor age breakdown
| Doctor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 1% |
Doctor educational attainment
The most common degree for doctors is bachelor's degree, with 35% of doctors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 30% and doctoral degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- Doctorate, 30%
- Associate, 10%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 16%
Doctors by degree level
| Doctor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| Doctorate | 30% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 16% |
Doctor jobs you might like
Doctor employment statistics
Most doctors work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where doctors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where doctors work.
Doctor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Doctor jobs by company type
Employees with the doctor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most doctors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Doctor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 1% |
Doctor jobs by industry
The most common industries for doctors are health care, manufacturing and retail.
Doctor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 35% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Education | 8% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Doctor turnover and employment statistics
Doctor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for doctors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Doctor unemployment rate by year
| Year | 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 | 0.56% |
| 2019 | 0.42% |
| 2020 | 0.66% |
| 2021 | 0.69% |
Average doctor tenure
The average doctor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,984 doctors resumes in Zippia's database.
Doctor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Doctor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| Orthopaedic Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 39,639 |
| Doctor | 12.85% | - |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Clinical Staff Anesthesiologist | 13.05% | 122,661 |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Similar doctor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Urologist | 9.88% | 14,011 |
| Orthopaedic Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 39,639 |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Director | 13.00% | 66,457 |
| Clinical Staff Anesthesiologist | 13.05% | 122,661 |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 62,419 |
Foreign languages spoken by doctors
The most common foreign language among doctors is Spanish at 55.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 6.3% and French is the third-most popular at 6.3%.
- Spanish, 55.0%
- Russian, 6.3%
- French, 6.3%
- Hindi, 4.4%
- Chinese, 3.8%
- Other, 24.2%
Doctor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.0% |
| Russian | 6.3% |
| French | 6.3% |
| Hindi | 4.4% |
| Chinese | 3.8% |
| Other | 24.2% |