Top 16 most in-demand specialties and their salaries in 2021

Family medicine remains the specialty that is the most sought-after by physician recruiters, according to physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins’ 2021 review of health care professional recruiting incentives.

The review is based on data from a representative sample of over 2,400 recruiting searches from April 2020 to March 2021. Because of the timing, it reflects demand for health care professionals during COVID-19. The 12-month period saw a lower demand for health care workers as hospitals and medical groups lost revenue.

At the same time, the review reports that the demand for nurse practitioners increased when compared to the demand for physician specialties. Nurse practitioners topped the list of Merritt Hawkins’ most recruited positions, making 2021 the first time in 27 years that the top slot did not go to a physician specialty. The AOA is engaged in multiple efforts to combat non-physician clinician scope of practice expansion efforts.

Below are the top 16 most requested physician recruiting searches by specialty along with the average starting salary offered to each. Note: The salaries listed may not reflect the average starting salaries for each specialty, as they represent what companies employing recruiting firms are offering

1. Family medicine; $243,000

2. Radiology; $401,000

3. Psychiatry; $279,000

4. Internal medicine; $244,000

5. OB-GYN; $291,000

6. Anesthesiology; $367,000

7. Hematology/oncology; $385,000

8. Gastroenterology; $453,000

9. Cardiology; Non-interventional: $446,000; Interventional: $611,000

10. Neurology; $332,000

11. Orthopedic surgery; $546,000

12. Dermatology; $378,000

13. Pulmonology; $385,000

14. Pediatrics; $236,000

15. Hospitalist; Not provided

16. Endocrinology; $241,000

More takeaways

• The specialties with the highest year-over-year increases in starting salaries offered include neurology (up 13%), non-interventional cardiology (up 9%), and pediatrics (up 7%).
• The specialties that saw the steepest reductions in starting salaries include orthopedic surgery (down 13%), internal medicine (down 12%) and OB-GYN (down 11%).
• The high demand for psychiatrists (No. 3 along physician specialties) reflects a strong demand for mental health professionals that is likely to increase as COVID-19 continues.

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