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 Physician, celebrate thyself: Ideas for recognizing yourself on National Doctors’ Day Self-care and self-celebration are not indulgences—they are essential for sustained excellence in a demanding and noble profession, writes Jeanne Sandella, DO. Record number of DOs secure residency positions through 2026 NRMP Match “With each successive Match cycle, it becomes even clearer that DO graduates are among the most sought-after physicians in the country,” said AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA. 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
Physician, celebrate thyself: Ideas for recognizing yourself on National Doctors’ Day Self-care and self-celebration are not indulgences—they are essential for sustained excellence in a demanding and noble profession, writes Jeanne Sandella, DO.
Record number of DOs secure residency positions through 2026 NRMP Match “With each successive Match cycle, it becomes even clearer that DO graduates are among the most sought-after physicians in the country,” said AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA.