Emergency Medicine Physician Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Emergency Medicine Physicians — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$335,550
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$161.32
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$495,910
entry level starts ~$103,610
Pay Grade
A+
elite pay · 33,000 employed

How much does an Emergency Medicine Physician make?

The median pay for an Emergency Medicine Physician in the United States is $335,550 per year — about $161.32 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $103,610, while the most experienced Emergency Medicine Physicians in the top 10% earn $495,910.

That is $274,160 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Emergency Medicine Physician salary range by percentile

Half of all Emergency Medicine Physicians earn between $184,830 and $418,890 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$103,610$49.81
25th percentile (early career)$184,830$88.86
50th percentile (median)$335,550$161.32
75th percentile (experienced)$418,890$201.39
90th percentile (top earners)$495,910$238.42

Highest-paying states for Emergency Medicine Physician

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Rhode Island leads the country for Emergency Medicine Physician pay at $512,730 a year, followed by West Virginia ($491,230) and Missouri ($456,280). At the other end, Utah posts the lowest median at $140,370 — a gap of $372,360 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Rhode Island$512,730$246.50+53%
2West Virginia$491,230$236.17+46%
3Missouri$456,280$219.37+36%
4Alaska$452,620$217.61+35%
5Maryland$451,620$217.13+35%

Workforce and education

About 33,000 people work as Emergency Medicine Physicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $317,480 — below the median, unusual for salaried roles. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Emergency Medicine Physician make in the United States?
The median Emergency Medicine Physician salary in the United States is $335,550 per year, or about $161.32 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $103,610, while the top 10% of earners make $495,910 or more.
How does Emergency Medicine Physician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A+ (elite pay), the Emergency Medicine Physician median of $335,550 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Emergency Medicine Physicians the most?
Rhode Island is the highest-paying state for Emergency Medicine Physicians, with a median salary of $512,730 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Emergency Medicine Physician?
Becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Emergency Medicine Physicians work in the United States?
About 33,000 people were employed as Emergency Medicine Physicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.