Family Doctor Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Family Medicine Physicians

The median family doctor salary in the United States is $244,180 per year ($117.39/hour). Salaries range from $76,830 at the entry level to $428,550+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 107,510 family doctor jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asFamily DoctorFamily PhysicianGPGeneral PractitionerPrimary Care PhysicianPCP
Median Salary
$244,180
per year
Hourly Rate
$117.39
per hour
Employment
107,510
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$76,830
25th percentile
$162,420
Median
$244,180
75th percentile
$334,270
90th percentile
$428,550

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+2.7%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

3,300
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Training Needed

Internship/residency

Family Doctor Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for family doctors.

Family Medicine physicians provide comprehensive primary care to patients of all ages β€” preventive care, chronic disease management, acute care, women's health, pediatrics, mental health basics, and some procedures. Career splits: hospital-employed primary care (steady salary + benefits β€” most common), private practice (declining but partnership-eligible), FQHC + community health (mission-driven + PSLF eligible), concierge / DPC (Direct Primary Care) practices (cash-pay + smaller panels), urgent care (shift-based + no clinic + higher hourly), locums (contract-based), hospitalist track (some FM physicians work as hospitalists). Path: 4 yrs med school + 3 yr family medicine residency. Median compensation $250-320k; rural + FQHC often includes loan repayment worth $150-300k over 3-5 years.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Chronic disease management
Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, COPD, CHF, depression. Follow evidence-based guidelines (ADA, JNC, ATP). Panel-based approach.
Acute + urgent care
Common URI, UTI, injury, chest pain triage, sprains + strains. Point-of-care testing + prescribing.
Preventive care + screening
USPSTF recommendations. Age + risk-appropriate cancer screening, vaccines, counseling.
Basic procedures (in-office)
Skin biopsy, cryotherapy, IUD placement, joint injections, laceration repair, casting/splinting.
Women's health basics
Contraception, prenatal (some), Pap smears, colposcopy (with training), breast exams.
Pediatric primary care
Well-child visits, vaccinations, developmental screening. Many FM docs stop peds after residency by choice.
Mental health first-line
Depression, anxiety, ADHD medication management. Referral to therapy + psychiatry when needed.
Care coordination + panel management
Manage panel of 1,500-2,500 patients. EHR (Epic, Athena, eClinicalWorks) + population health tools.

How to Become a Family Doctor

  1. 1
    Bachelor's + strong MCAT + medical school
    Standard med school. FM competitive but not most competitive.
  2. 2
    Family Medicine Residency (3 years)
    PGY-1-3. Rotations across all primary care domains. Inpatient + outpatient + OB + peds + geriatrics + procedures.
  3. 3
    Board certification (ABFM)
    Written boards after residency. Required for hospital privileges + insurance credentialing.
  4. 4
    State medical license + DEA registration
    State licensure + DEA for controlled substances. Some states allow independent practice immediately.
  5. 5
    Optional fellowship (1 year β€” sports medicine, geriatrics, OB, hospice + palliative)
    Fellowship not required. Sports medicine + OB most common for those wanting to expand scope.
  6. 6
    First practice setting
    Hospital-employed most common. FQHC (loan repayment path). Concierge / DPC growing. Rural family medicine highly-paid.

Career Progression

PGY-1 to PGY-3 Resident
0-3 yrs$62-78k/year salary
  • β€’Increasing outpatient + inpatient autonomy
  • β€’Full-scope FM rotations
  • β€’Board prep
Next: Attending FM.
Attending FM (hospital / employed / FQHC)
0-5 post-residency yrs$230-300k Β· Rural + FQHC $250-320k + loan repayment
  • β€’Independent panel of 1,500-2,500 patients
  • β€’Full-scope primary care
  • β€’Continuity of care
Next: Senior attending or leadership.
Senior Attending / Partner / Practice Owner
5-15+ yrs$260-380k Β· Concierge / DPC $200-500k depending on panel + model
  • β€’Established practice + panel
  • β€’Practice management (private)
  • β€’Mentorship + section leadership
Next: Medical director / department chief.
Medical Director / Section Chief / DPC Owner
10-20+ yrs$300-450k+ Β· Concierge / DPC $250-600k+
  • β€’Multi-provider oversight
  • β€’Quality + compliance leadership
  • β€’Business + P&L (private)
Next: Regional medical director.
Regional Medical Director / Executive Track
15+ yrs$350-500k+ Β· Physician executive $400-700k+
  • β€’Multi-clinic oversight
  • β€’Health system leadership
  • β€’Value-based care + population health

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 12 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through managing a patient with newly-diagnosed Type 2 diabetes.case
Concrete: Initial assessment (HbA1c, kidney function, feet, eyes referral). Lifestyle counseling. First-line: metformin. Blood pressure + statin optimization. Follow-up q3 months. Escalation ladder (metformin β†’ SGLT2/GLP1 β†’ insulin). Patient education. Screens for evidence-based primary care.
Q2. How do you handle a patient asking for antibiotics for a viral illness?situational
Concrete: Empathetic + educational. Explain viral vs bacterial. Symptomatic treatment options. Return precautions. Never prescribe against evidence. Screens for antibiotic stewardship.
Q3. Tell me about a difficult patient interaction.behavioral
STAR. Real case (de-identified). Empathy + boundaries + evidence-based practice + escalation when needed. Never bad-mouth patient.
Q4. Why family medicine vs another specialty?culture
Concrete: 'Continuity of care + relationships + full-scope practice + intellectual breadth.' Not: 'Lifestyle' alone. Screens for genuine primary care motivation.
Q5. How do you handle a full panel with too much demand?situational
Concrete: Team-based care (nurse + MA + care coordinator). Triage protocols. Same-day access management. Empanelment discipline. Screens for real primary care ops.

Resume Template β€” Attending Family Physician (0-5 yrs post-residency)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Attending Family Physician (0-5 yrs post-residency)
  • β–ΈFamily Physician, [Practice]. Board certified ABFM. Panel of 1,800 active patients.
  • β–ΈDiabetes management: 74% of my panel at HbA1c <7 (vs practice average 62%). Population health lead for diabetes.
  • β–ΈPrecept residents on outpatient FM rotation. Rated top-quartile teacher on annual evaluations.
  • β–ΈCertified in point-of-care ultrasound + joint injections + minor procedures.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Weak evidence-based practice or over-prescribing.
  • βœ—Poor patient communication or empathy.
  • βœ—Inability to manage a full panel efficiently.
  • βœ—Discomfort with chronic disease management complexity.
  • βœ—Bad-mouthing patients, peers, or prior practice.
  • βœ—Weak documentation + coding habits.
  • βœ—Missing continuing education or recertification.
  • βœ—Poor understanding of value-based care metrics.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Base + productivity (wRVU-based).
  • βœ“Sign-on bonus $10-50k common; higher for rural + underserved.
  • βœ“Loan repayment $50-200k over 3-5 years (rural + FQHC often significant).
  • βœ“PSLF eligibility (FQHC, nonprofit hospitals, government).
  • βœ“CME budget $3-10k/year.
  • βœ“Vacation (4-6 weeks typical).
  • βœ“Malpractice tail coverage.
  • βœ“Partnership track (private practice).
  • βœ“Value-based care bonus (quality + population health metrics).
  • βœ“Call schedule + coverage.
  • βœ“Non-compete radius + duration.

Family Doctor Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired family doctors. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Family Doctor Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 12 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 8 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

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Family Doctor Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$135K
$467Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Rhode Island
$467K
+91%
Oklahoma
$361K
+48%
Idaho
$347K
+42%
Montana
$331K
+35%
Alaska
$323K
+32%
Pennsylvania
$306K
+25%
Utah
$298K
+22%
Oregon
$293K
+20%
Washington
$293K
+20%
Arizona
$293K
+20%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Rhode Island$467,160+91.3%
Oklahoma$361,350+48.0%
Idaho$347,160+42.2%
Montana$330,760+35.5%
Alaska$323,490+32.5%
Pennsylvania$306,030+25.3%
Utah$297,510+21.8%
Oregon$293,240+20.1%
Washington$292,900+20.0%
Arizona$292,760+19.9%
1–10 of 51

Family Doctor Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Oklahoma City, OK$481,870+97.3%
Knoxville, TN$460,080+88.4%
Great Falls, MT$449,840+84.2%
Lawton, OK$448,460+83.7%
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$438,290+79.5%
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT$413,910+69.5%
Salinas, CA$410,370+68.1%
St. Joseph, MO-KS$400,000+63.8%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$393,890+61.3%
Sebring, FL$386,750+58.4%
1–10 of 271
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A family doctor earning $244,180/year would need 244 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 262 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how family doctor salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Family Doctor salary trend (2011–2024) β†’