According to AMN Healthcare's 2026 recruiting incentives report, gastroenterology had the highest average starting salary among physicians at $654,000, an 18.5% increase from the prior year. Urology saw the largest year-over-year gain, rising 22.5% to $638,000. Other specialties with double-digit increases included non-invasive cardiology, otolaryngology, hospitalist, radiology, and neurology.
The overall average starting salary for physicians was $419,000, up from $403,000. However, not all specialties gained: orthopedics fell 12% to $507,000, and pediatrics dropped 10.6% to $230,000. Academic positions paid less on average ($362,000) than non-academic roles ($452,000).
Nearly nine in ten search engagements included signing bonuses, with an average physician bonus of $49,306. Employers also offered relocation allowances, CME allowances, and loan forgiveness to attract candidates. The report noted that while salaries and bonuses help recruit, retention requires more. Demand remained strong for specialists, reflecting the needs of an aging population, while family medicine was the most requested search for the 20th consecutive year and nurse practitioners for the sixth.