Job placement map · Updated September 29, 2026

Where physicians are needed, and what they're paid

A heat map of physician hiring demand and average pay in every state, built from federal wage, shortage-area and workforce data. Pair it with each state's licensing rules to plan your placement.

Mississippistrongest hiring demand (index 84)
$269kmedian state average physician pay
$351khighest average pay, North Dakota
15,379primary-care physicians needed nationwide
Physician hiring demand and average pay by stateALAKAZARCACOFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMIMNMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWVWIWYVTNHMARICTNJDEMDDC
LowerHigher hiring demand

Shading = hiring-demand index (0–100), in five equal-size groups. Click any state for its jobs and licensing page.

States

51 of 51 results
MSVery strong demand · #1
$288,480 avg. physician pay
84 demand index|303 PCPs needed
Mississippi physician jobs & salary
KYVery strong demand · #2
$316,730 avg. physician pay
83 demand index|388 PCPs needed
Kentucky physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
OKVery strong demand · #3
$243,060 avg. physician pay
82 demand index|318 PCPs needed
Oklahoma physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
IAVery strong demand · #4
$257,940 avg. physician pay
75 demand index|197 PCPs needed
Iowa physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
GAVery strong demand · #5
$268,510 avg. physician pay
73 demand index|563 PCPs needed
Georgia physician jobs & salary
IDVery strong demand · #6
$292,750 avg. physician pay
73 demand index|85 PCPs needed
Idaho physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
NVVery strong demand · #7
$256,770 avg. physician pay
70 demand index|180 PCPs needed
Nevada physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
INVery strong demand · #8
$323,030 avg. physician pay
68 demand index|431 PCPs needed
Indiana physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
NDVery strong demand · #9
$351,270 avg. physician pay
68 demand index|37 PCPs needed
North Dakota physician jobs & salary
TXVery strong demand · #10
$239,840 avg. physician pay
68 demand index|1,147 PCPs needed
Texas physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
WYStrong demand · #11
$339,540 avg. physician pay
67 demand index|29 PCPs needed
Wyoming physician jobs & salary
FLStrong demand · #12
$288,670 avg. physician pay
65 demand index|1,434 PCPs needed
Florida physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
SDStrong demand · #13
$296,490 avg. physician pay
64 demand index|59 PCPs needed
South Dakota physician jobs & salary
NMStrong demand · #14
$302,650 avg. physician pay
63 demand index|182 PCPs needed
New Mexico physician jobs & salary
KSStrong demand · #15
$230,000 avg. physician pay
62 demand index|122 PCPs needed
Kansas physician jobs & salary
MOStrong demand · #16
$300,040 avg. physician pay
61 demand index|475 PCPs needed
Missouri physician jobs & salary
ARStrong demand · #17
$221,690 avg. physician pay
60 demand index|177 PCPs needed
Arkansas physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
AZStrong demand · #18
$207,570 avg. physician pay
59 demand index|776 PCPs needed
Arizona physician jobs & salary
ALStrong demand · #19
$255,630 avg. physician pay
58 demand index|239 PCPs needed
Alabama physician jobs & salary
NEStrong demand · #20
$309,310 avg. physician pay
56 demand index|36 PCPs needed
Nebraska physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
WASolid demand · #21
$288,560 avg. physician pay
56 demand index|685 PCPs needed
Washington physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
SCSolid demand · #22
$326,530 avg. physician pay
55 demand index|189 PCPs needed
South Carolina physician jobs & salary
AKSolid demand · #23
$284,240 avg. physician pay
54 demand index|68 PCPs needed
Alaska physician jobs & salary
TNSolid demand · #24
$297,780 avg. physician pay
53 demand index|383 PCPs needed
Tennessee physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
WVSolid demand · #25
$263,850 avg. physician pay
53 demand index|163 PCPs needed
West Virginia physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
NCSolid demand · #26
$218,010 avg. physician pay
52 demand index|559 PCPs needed
North Carolina physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
DESolid demand · #27
$225,650 avg. physician pay
50 demand index|122 PCPs needed
Delaware physician jobs & salary
MTSolid demand · #28
$239,200 avg. physician pay
50 demand index|57 PCPs needed
Montana physician jobs & salary
UTSolid demand · #29
$228,640 avg. physician pay
50 demand index|79 PCPs needed
Utah physician jobs & salary
COSolid demand · #30
$323,020 avg. physician pay
49 demand index|171 PCPs needed
Colorado physician jobs & salary
CAModerate demand · #31
$249,660 avg. physician pay
46 demand index|1,045 PCPs needed
California physician jobs & salary
ILModerate demand · #32
$212,250 avg. physician pay
46 demand index|597 PCPs needed
Illinois physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
LAModerate demand · #33
$306,030 avg. physician pay
46 demand index|220 PCPs needed
Louisiana physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
OHModerate demand · #34
$271,040 avg. physician pay
46 demand index|686 PCPs needed
Ohio physician jobs & salary
WIModerate demand · #35
$288,500 avg. physician pay
43 demand index|223 PCPs needed
Wisconsin physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
VAModerate demand · #36
$209,170 avg. physician pay
42 demand index|298 PCPs needed
Virginia physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
NYModerate demand · #37
$227,910 avg. physician pay
40 demand index|1,036 PCPs needed
New York physician jobs & salary
MIModerate demand · #38
$204,730 avg. physician pay
39 demand index|464 PCPs needed
Michigan physician jobs & salary
ORModerate demand · #39
$288,930 avg. physician pay
38 demand index|169 PCPs needed
Oregon physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
MNModerate demand · #40
$302,110 avg. physician pay
37 demand index|216 PCPs needed
Minnesota physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
MDLow demand · #41
$210,950 avg. physician pay
35 demand index|284 PCPs needed
Maryland physician jobs & salary
HILow demand · #42
$304,140 avg. physician pay
27 demand index|58 PCPs needed
Hawaii physician jobs & salary
CTLow demand · #43
$310,050 avg. physician pay
23 demand index|73 PCPs needed
Connecticut physician jobs & salary
NHLow demand · #44
$315,630 avg. physician pay
21 demand index|14 PCPs needed
New Hampshire physician jobs & salary
PALow demand · #45
$187,330 avg. physician pay
21 demand index|91 PCPs needed
Pennsylvania physician jobs & salary
MELow demand · #46
$257,340 avg. physician pay
19 demand index|26 PCPs needed
Maine physician jobs & salary
MALow demand · #47
$229,980 avg. physician pay
15 demand index|81 PCPs needed
Massachusetts physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
NJLow demand · #48
$204,450 avg. physician pay
13 demand index|24 PCPs needed
New Jersey physician jobs & salary
VTLow demand · #49
$270,230 avg. physician pay
11 demand index|2 PCPs needed
Vermont physician jobs & salary
RILow demand · #50
$204,520 avg. physician pay
7 demand index|22 PCPs needed
Rhode Island physician jobs & salary
IMG pathway
DC
$239,820 avg. physician pay
n/a demand index|96 PCPs needed
District of Columbia physician jobs & salary

Physician pay and demand by state

Sort any column. Pay is the average annual wage for physicians; shortage figures are for federally designated primary-care Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Residency US / IMG
Mississippi MS84$288,480196.830334.9%1 yr / 3 yrs
Kentucky KY83$316,730235.638831.4%2 yrs / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Oklahoma OK82$243,060209.631830.7%1 yr / 1 yr Alt. IMG
Iowa IA75$257,940223.619737.2%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Georgia GA73$268,510236.156339.0%1 yr / 3 yrs
Idaho ID73$292,750196.18547.1%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Nevada NV70$256,770218.518043.7%3 yrs / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
Indiana IN68$323,030236.443152.2%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
North Dakota ND68$351,270239.63737.7%1 yr / 30 months
Texas TX68$239,840231.71,14751.0%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Wyoming WY67$339,540211.72953.8%2 yrs / 2 yrs
Florida FL65$288,670273.91,43439.5%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
South Dakota SD64$296,490250.35933.2%Full residency / Full residency
New Mexico NM63$302,650251.318243.7%2 yrs / 2 yrs
Kansas KS62$230,000236.012241.2%3 yrs / 3 yrs
Missouri MO61$300,040298.147521.5%1 yr / 3 yrs
Arkansas AR60$221,690215.417753.5%1 yr / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
Arizona AZ59$207,570252.077642.2%1 yr / 2 yrs
Alabama AL58$255,630224.023967.0%1 yr / 2 yrs
Nebraska NE56$309,310249.23649.2%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Washington WA56$288,560285.468545.4%2 yrs / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
South Carolina SC55$326,530236.918978.5%1 yr / 3 yrs
Alaska AK54$284,240287.26826.6%2 yrs / 3 yrs
Tennessee TN53$297,780259.038358.8%1 yr / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
West Virginia WV53$263,850274.216338.3%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
North Carolina NC52$218,010263.655947.8%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Delaware DE50$225,650292.712211.2%1 yr / 3 yrs
Montana MT50$239,200*257.35742.3%Full residency / 3 yrs
Utah UT50$228,640224.57965.4%1 yr / 2 yrs
Colorado CO49$323,020294.417146.7%1 yr / 1 yr
California CA46$249,660287.81,04553.6%3 yrs / 3 yrs
Illinois IL46$212,250292.959744.4%2 yrs / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Louisiana LA46$306,030270.122072.5%2 yrs / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
Ohio OH46$271,040302.368648.5%1 yr / 2 yrs
Wisconsin WI43$288,500274.422366.0%2 yrs / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
Virginia VA42$209,170268.029857.5%1 yr / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
New York NY40$227,910389.41,03635.4%1 yr / 3 yrs
Michigan MI39$204,730300.846447.5%1 yr / 1 yr
Oregon OR38$288,930311.216951.3%1 yr / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
Minnesota MN37$302,110312.421654.4%1 yr / 1 yr Alt. IMG
Maryland MD35$210,950393.528428.7%1 yr / 2 yrs
Hawaii HI27$304,140321.95866.6%1 yr / 2 yrs
Connecticut CT23$310,050364.07374.6%2 yrs / 2 yrs
New Hampshire NH21$315,630322.91478.9%2 yrs / 2 yrs
Pennsylvania PA21$187,330328.59151.6%2 yrs / 3 yrs
Maine ME19$257,340331.72660.1%3 yrs / 3 yrs
Massachusetts MA15$229,980466.08158.5%2 yrs / 3 yrs Alt. IMG
New Jersey NJ13$204,450313.32470.2%2 + contract / 2 + contract
Vermont VT11$270,230386.2284.2%2 yrs / 3 yrs
Rhode Island RI7$204,520383.52274.3%2 yrs / 2 yrs Alt. IMG
District of Columbia DC—$239,820—960.2%1 yr / 3 yrs

* BLS reports Montana's mean as $239,200 or more (top-coded).

Finding a physician position

Public, no-cost places to look for openings, especially in the high-demand states on the map.

Shortage-area jobs

HRSA's Health Workforce Connector lists openings at sites approved for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, which can repay a large share of medical school debt.

Rural recruitment

3RNet, the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network, posts rural and underserved positions through each state's partner organization, including J-1 waiver (Conrad 30) jobs.

Hospital recruiters

Hiring physicians in a shortage state? Reach residents, fellows and international physicians researching licensure here. Ask about advertising →

How the hiring-demand index works

Hospital HR hiring plans and recruiting budgets are not published, so the index combines four public measures that track physician hiring. Each is converted to a 0–100 percentile across states, then weighted.

45%

Physician supply

Active physicians per 100,000 residents (AAMC, 2023 data (2025 Data Book)). Fewer physicians scores higher.

25%

Unmet shortage need

Share of primary-care need not met in federal shortage areas (HRSA via KFF, as of December 31, 2025).

15%

Practitioners needed

Primary-care physicians needed to remove every shortage designation in the state, a measure of volume.

15%

Average pay

Average annual wage for physicians (BLS OEWS, May 2023 OEWS). Higher pay signals recruiting competition.

The index ranks states against each other; it is not a count of open jobs. BLS state wages cover employed physicians in its "all other physicians" category and vary with each state's specialty mix, so compare specialties with your own offers. District of Columbia has no comparable supply figure and is not ranked.