Average General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary in the United States
The national median salary for General Internal Medicine Physicians is $256,560 per year. The middle 50% earn between $124,470 and $374,850, with 67,150 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 46 states and 162 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how General Internal Medicine Physicians pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $73,570
- 25th
- $124,470
- Median
- $256,560
- 75th
- $374,850
- 90th
- $475,430
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
General Internal Medicine Physicians are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
The pay band is unusually wide for this occupation. Experience, employer, and specialization can double or even triple an early-career salary, so what general internal medicine physicians earn depends heavily on where they are in their career and who they work for.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for general internal medicine physicians from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.3%
- 2,400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where General Internal Medicine Physicians earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where general internal medicine physicians work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Georgia at $425,460, about 65.8% above the national median. At the metro level, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI leads with a median of $485,900.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $425,460 | 5,440 |
| Rhode Island | $379,490 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $373,700 | 2,270 |
| Wisconsin | $367,160 | 1,450 |
| Alaska | $366,080 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $359,500 | 1,260 |
| Idaho | $355,390 | 130 |
| Washington | $340,010 | 1,100 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $485,900 | 140 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $430,970 | N/A |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $416,860 | 120 |
| Jackson, TN | $412,460 | 160 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $385,880 | 80 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $379,490 | 330 |
| Tulsa, OK | $377,580 | 190 |
| Ithaca, NY | $370,320 | 120 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see general internal medicine physicians pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for General Internal Medicine Physicians rose from $201,590 to $256,560, a gain of +27.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $201,590 would need to be worth $253,858 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $256,560 is $2,702 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +1.1% in purchasing power.
Wages have roughly kept pace with inflation. Nominal pay rose by 27.3%, but inflation absorbed most of it.
- Nominal change
- +27.3%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +1.1%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
General Internal Medicine Physicians median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $256,560
- 2024
- $236,350
- 2023
- $223,310
- 2022
- $214,460
- 2019
- $201,590
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, 2020–2021, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Neurologists
- $248,560
- Physicians, All Other
- $265,930
- Family Medicine Physicians
- $244,180
- Psychiatrists
- $281,870
- Obstetricians And Gynecologists
- $292,910
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
- $300,080
- Pediatricians, General
- $210,040
- Physicians, Pathologists
- $312,400
Common salary questions for General Internal Medicine Physicians
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of General Internal Medicine Physicians workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.