General internal medicine physicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,570 | $35.37 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $256,560 | $123.35 |
| Mean (average) | $267,200 | $128.46 |
| 90th percentile | $475,430 | $228.57 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
General internal medicine physicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 48 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $311,180 | $156,060 | $369,200 | 310 | 0.34 |
| Alaska | $366,080 | $163,230 | $556,190 | 110 | 0.8 |
| Arizona | $259,320 | $65,610 | $391,480 | 2,570 | 1.84 |
| Arkansas | $233,130 | $59,180 | $316,760 | 290 | 0.52 |
| California | $313,890 | $74,180 | $441,710 | 6,370 | 0.81 |
| Colorado | $299,990 | $176,330 | $371,600 | 450 | 0.36 |
| Connecticut | $208,000 | $66,740 | $413,750 | 980 | 1.34 |
| District of Columbia | $223,250 | $48,710 | $513,990 | 490 | 1.6 |
| Florida | $222,600 | $85,220 | $575,210 | 2,390 | 0.56 |
| Georgia | $425,460 | $103,490 | $581,750 | 5,440 | 2.58 |
| Guam | $324,920 | $183,110 | $357,400 | 40 | 1.23 |
| Hawaii | Data unavailable | 220 | 0.82 | ||
| Idaho | $355,390 | $133,880 | $385,590 | 130 | 0.34 |
| Illinois | $140,680 | $63,940 | $349,420 | 1,130 | 0.43 |
| Indiana | $314,390 | $177,830 | $504,870 | 2,380 | 1.72 |
| Iowa | $122,920 | $71,420 | $391,510 | 380 | 0.56 |
| Kentucky | $241,530 | $73,510 | $456,710 | 1,060 | 1.22 |
| Louisiana | $210,390 | $184,700 | $324,900 | ||
| Maine | $316,880 | $185,760 | $539,420 | 270 | 0.97 |
| Maryland | $260,410 | $135,630 | $393,430 | 3,250 | 2.73 |
| Massachusetts | $285,250 | $84,750 | $369,930 | 1,590 | 1.01 |
| Michigan | $149,990 | $59,440 | $378,470 | 2,060 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $373,700 | $197,440 | $481,170 | 2,270 | 1.78 |
| Mississippi | $325,610 | $67,440 | $429,660 | 390 | 0.78 |
| Missouri | $216,570 | $173,630 | $438,090 | 160 | 0.13 |
| Nebraska | $221,360 | $70,920 | $378,450 | 900 | 2.04 |
| Nevada | $114,090 | $82,970 | $291,170 | 390 | 0.59 |
| New Hampshire | $229,210 | $69,840 | $414,380 | 450 | 1.51 |
| New Jersey | $89,990 | $82,320 | $431,460 | 2,920 | 1.58 |
| New York | $183,460 | $78,160 | $416,640 | 10,000 | 2.39 |
| North Carolina | $289,780 | $123,810 | $462,680 | 1,700 | 0.79 |
| North Dakota | $338,400 | $190,430 | $379,100 | 200 | 1.07 |
| Ohio | $249,990 | $84,180 | $453,010 | 1,540 | 0.64 |
| Oklahoma | $216,570 | $67,270 | $468,320 | 490 | 0.66 |
| Oregon | $268,570 | $228,850 | $350,220 | 230 | 0.27 |
| Pennsylvania | $213,310 | $67,360 | $415,810 | 990 | 0.38 |
| Puerto Rico | $133,120 | $86,660 | $168,370 | 40 | 0.11 |
| Rhode Island | $379,490 | $69,590 | $425,340 | 300 | 1.39 |
| South Carolina | $359,500 | $102,500 | $441,010 | 1,260 | 1.27 |
| South Dakota | $280,520 | $222,550 | $564,280 | 160 | 0.79 |
| Tennessee | $232,220 | $64,870 | $412,460 | 1,370 | 0.97 |
| Texas | $269,110 | $69,460 | $387,660 | 3,850 | 0.63 |
| Utah | $331,720 | $161,890 | $448,650 | 210 | 0.27 |
| Vermont | $228,670 | $181,710 | $452,190 | 180 | 1.39 |
| Virginia | Data unavailable | 860 | 0.48 | ||
| Washington | $340,010 | $222,990 | $406,010 | 1,100 | 0.72 |
| West Virginia | $72,680 | $63,150 | $430,020 | 630 | 2.08 |
| Wisconsin | $367,160 | $74,160 | $451,640 | 1,450 | 1.14 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for general internal medicine physicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for general internal medicine physicians
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Medicine CIP 51.1201
- Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy CIP 51.1202
- Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0108
- Internal Medicine/Dermatology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0109
- Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0110
- Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine/Critical Care Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0111
- Internal Medicine/Family Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0112
- Internal Medicine/Neurology Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0114
- Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0115
- Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0116
- Internal Medicine/Psychiatry Combined Specialty Program CIP 61.0117
- Internal Medicine Residency Program CIP 61.0801
Licenses and certifications
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
- Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
- Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
- Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Make diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure.
Technology skills
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- Billing software
- Brickell Research Brickell Medical Office
- ChartWare EMR
- Email software
- Epocrates
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Greenway Health PrimeSuite
- Med Math
- MedcomSoft Record
- Medical reference software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Coordination, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Doctor, Gastroenterologist, General Internal Medicine Physician, General Internist, Internal Medicine Doctor, Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician), Internist, Medical Doctor (MD), Physician, Primary Care Physician.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do general internal medicine physicians make?
The national median annual wage for general internal medicine physicians was $256,560 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $73,570 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $475,430. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do general internal medicine physicians need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is general internal medicine physicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of general internal medicine physicians to change +4.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay general internal medicine physicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Georgia ($425,460), Rhode Island ($379,490), Minnesota ($373,700). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.