State by state The best and worst states for doctors in 2025 For the second year in a row, Montana leads WalletHub’s annual list, while Hawaii comes in last. See where your state landed. March 26, 2025WednesdayMarch 2025 issue The DO Staff Contact The DO Staff Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Topics Best and worst statesjobsphysicians In 2025, Montana, Indiana and South Dakota were found to be the best states for practicing medicine, while Hawaii, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia are the most difficult, according to WalletHub’s recently released list of the best and worst states for physicians. To narrow down the list, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 19 key metrics that impact the practice of medicine, including the average annual wage of physicians, the number of hospitals per capita and the quality of the public hospital system. Each metric received a score out of 100 for each state; the various metrics were then weighted to determine each state’s overall score and ranking in the list. Mississippi, Wisconsin and Georgia were found to provide the highest wages (adjusted for cost of living), while the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Hawaii had the lowest wages. Related Source: WalletHub Each state's ranking for 2025 is displayed on WalletHub's interactive map. Competition for jobs is projected to be the highest in the District of Columbia, Rhode Island and New York by 2032, with Mississippi, Missouri and Louisiana being projected to be the least competitive states for physicians. Below is WalletHub’s list of the best and worst states for doctors—1 being the best, 51 being the worst. WalletHub’s best and worst states for doctors Montana Indiana South Dakota Iowa Utah North Carolina Minnesota North Dakota Tennessee Wisconsin Idaho Missouri Louisiana South Carolina Alabama Nebraska Colorado Oklahoma Kansas Mississippi Georgia West Virginia Arizona Maine Florida Texas Michigan Wyoming Nevada Washington Kentucky Virginia Connecticut Pennsylvania Vermont Ohio Delaware California New Hampshire Massachusetts Arkansas Alaska New York Maryland New Mexico Illinois Oregon New Jersey District of Columbia Rhode Island Hawaii Related reading: Decorated Navy DO is named Physician to the President Physician burnout is slowly improving, but still remains stubbornly high, Medscape report finds More in Profession Physicians and mental health: We’re making progress, but there’s still work to be done As the medical profession prepares to observe National Physician Suicide Awareness Day on Sept. 17, The DO examines a recent report on physicians and suicide. Osteopathic medicine featured in Verywell Health; Ray L. Morrison, DO, recognized by ACOS A national publication has highlighted osteopathic medicine’s distinction and growing role in modern healthcare, and Ray L. Morrison, DO, was recognized by the ACOS for his outstanding leadership. Previous articleMaking the move from the second to third year of medical school Next articleNominations open soon for the AOIA's Digital Health Innovation Steering Committee
Physicians and mental health: We’re making progress, but there’s still work to be done As the medical profession prepares to observe National Physician Suicide Awareness Day on Sept. 17, The DO examines a recent report on physicians and suicide.
Osteopathic medicine featured in Verywell Health; Ray L. Morrison, DO, recognized by ACOS A national publication has highlighted osteopathic medicine’s distinction and growing role in modern healthcare, and Ray L. Morrison, DO, was recognized by the ACOS for his outstanding leadership.