Third-year residents in the U.S. usually earn a program-set base salary in the upper-$60,000s to mid-$70,000s, plus benefits.
If you’re a PGY-3 resident, or you’re budgeting for Match season, you want a real number, not hand-waving. There’s no single national “PGY-3 paycheck.” Each sponsoring institution sets its own stipend scale, then taxes hit too.
Below you’ll get the pay drivers that matter, a fast way to estimate take-home pay, and a checklist for comparing two offers without getting fooled by fine print.
PGY-3 Pay Snapshot And What It Usually Includes
Most programs publish a stipend table by training year. The line item you’re hunting is the PGY-3 base stipend. Then come benefits that add value but may not raise take-home pay.
| Pay Or Benefit Piece | What It Means For A PGY-3 | What To Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Base stipend (salary) | The fixed annual pay for PGY-3, paid biweekly or semi-monthly | Exact PGY-3 figure, pay schedule, start date changes |
| On-call pay / extra shifts | Extra pay for moonlighting or filling internal open shifts when allowed | Eligibility rules, hourly rate, approval steps, caps |
| Retirement match | Employer contribution to a 401(k)/403(b) plan, if offered | Match percent, vesting, when it starts |
| Health insurance | Plan cost and access for you and dependents | Employee plan cost per paycheck, deductible, network rules |
| Dental / vision | Extra plans that may be separate from medical | Plan cost, waiting periods, yearly limits |
| Meal funds | Cafeteria funds or a stipend used during shifts | Where it works, rollover rules, tax treatment |
| Parking / transit | Subsidized parking or transit passes | Monthly out-of-pocket cost, waitlists, night access |
| Licensing, DEA, boards | Reimbursement for required fees | Which fees are covered, timing, receipts needed |
| Education funds | CME or book money for courses, texts, and exam prep | Dollar cap, what counts, when it resets |
How Much Do 3Rd Year Residents Make? In Real Numbers
Across national surveys and published stipend tables, PGY-3 pay tends to cluster in the upper-$60k to mid-$70k band. Some programs land lower, and some big-city systems pay more to compete for trainees.
Medscape’s 2025 Resident Salary report lists average compensation by residency year and shows the step-up that comes with each PGY. Use it as a benchmark, then anchor your budget on the exact stipend and benefits your program posts.
Program pages can be even clearer because they show the published PGY-3 line. As one example, the University of Wisconsin’s pediatrics residency lists a PGY-3 stipend for its 2024–2025 academic year, with a small well-being stipend included.
Third-Year Resident Salary By Region And Program Type
Residency pay is less specialty-driven than attending pay. Many hospitals use one stipend ladder for all residents. Still, three forces can move your PGY-3 number:
- Region and metro size: High-rent metros often post higher stipends, yet rent can still outpace the bump.
- Union status and bargaining: Some resident groups bargain for higher stipends or better meal and parking terms.
- Sponsoring institution budget: Large systems may set higher scales than smaller affiliates.
Why Two PGY-3 Salaries Can Feel Far Apart
A $4,000 raise from PGY-2 to PGY-3 looks good on paper. In a city where rent jumps $300 a month, that raise can vanish. Compare buying power, not just the raw stipend.
What Medicare Funding Does And Does Not Mean For Your Stipend
Medicare helps fund graduate medical education through Direct GME and Indirect Medical Education payments. Those payments help pay for resident stipends and training costs, but they don’t set your salary line. Your hospital still chooses the stipend scale.
CMS lays out how Direct GME payments are calculated and what they fund on its Direct GME page.
For national context, the AAMC Survey of Resident/Fellow Stipends and Benefits tracks stipend data across sponsoring institutions.
If you want the funding mechanics, CMS explains them on its Direct Graduate Medical Education (DGME) page.
How To Read A Resident Salary Table Without Getting Tripped Up
It’s easy to skim, see a PGY-3 number, and move on. Slow down and check these details:
Base stipend Versus Total compensation
Some pages list the base stipend and then mention add-ons like a fixed wellness payment or meal money. Ask whether the published PGY-3 line includes add-ons, and whether those add-ons are taxed.
Pay frequency And First paycheck timing
Biweekly pay yields 26 paychecks; semi-monthly yields 24. A PGY-3 salary can look bigger per check under semi-monthly, and the annual figure matches. Some programs also run a payroll lag that can pinch your first month.
Extra shifts And moonlighting rules
Most programs don’t pay extra for standard call in the curriculum. Extra pay more often comes from moonlighting or filling open shifts. Don’t count on this money unless you have the rules in writing.
Taxes And Local Costs That Shape PGY-3 Pay
The stipend number is only the start. Two states can take different bites out of the same PGY-3 salary, and city costs can swallow what looks like a solid raise.
When you compare programs, run these checks with real inputs from that city:
- State and local tax: Look up the marginal rate for your bracket and the local add-ons, then sanity-check with a paycheck estimator.
- Housing and commuting: Price a studio or one-bed near the hospital, then add parking, tolls, or transit passes.
- Child care: If it applies, get one quote early. It can be the biggest monthly bill after rent.
- Student loans: Match your plan to your cash flow, and note when recertification dates hit during the year.
These four lines tell you more about day-to-day comfort than a single headline stipend number.
What A PGY-3 Paycheck Can Look Like After Deductions
Here’s a practical way to estimate take-home pay without guessing:
- Start with the published PGY-3 annual base stipend.
- Subtract your share of health, dental, and vision plan costs per year.
- Subtract any pre-tax retirement contribution you plan to make.
- Apply federal, state, and payroll taxes using your filing status and state.
Two residents with the same PGY-3 stipend can see different take-home pay based on state taxes and dependent plans. That’s normal.
If your first paycheck feels off, check your W-4 and state withholding settings. An extra allowance, or a missed dependent credit, can shift each check. Also check whether benefits deductions start on day one or after your insurance effective date. Payroll can fix errors when you flag them early. Save the pay stubs for taxes and forms.
Common Pay Add-Ons That Change The Math
When someone says “my program pays PGY-3s $78k,” it may include wellness money, housing help, or a shift differential. These items can raise cash flow, but the rules matter.
Wellness Or meal stipends
Cash payments are usually taxable. Cafeteria funds may be restricted to on-site food. When you compare two offers, treat restricted funds as less flexible than cash.
Housing assistance
A few programs offer housing or a housing allowance. The rules can be strict: proof of lease, distance limits, or a cap that doesn’t track rent spikes. Even a modest monthly housing payment can beat a bigger base stipend in a higher-rent city.
Moonlighting
Some PGY-3 residents can moonlight once they meet milestones and get approval. Treat moonlighting as optional, not guaranteed.
Decision Checks When Comparing Two PGY-3 Offers
If you’re choosing between programs, don’t chase the highest posted stipend. Pick the offer that leaves enough cash flow and time margin to finish training without constant money stress.
| Question To Ask | Why It Changes Your Take-Home | Quick Way To Check |
|---|---|---|
| What is the PGY-3 base stipend on paper? | It anchors taxes and any retirement match | Program benefits PDF or offer letter |
| How much is the employee health plan cost per paycheck? | Plan costs can swing take-home by thousands per year | Benefits summary with employee rates |
| Do I pay for parking, and what does it cost monthly? | A monthly fee can erase a stipend bump | Parking office rate sheet |
| Is there an annual education fund, and what can it buy? | Board prep and required courses add up fast | GME handbook spending rules |
| Are licensing and DEA fees reimbursed? | Fees can hit four figures during training | Reimbursement policy page |
| Is a retirement match offered, and when does it start? | A match is pay you feel later | Plan document and vesting schedule |
| Is moonlighting allowed for PGY-3 residents? | Extra shifts can pay debt or child care | Program policy plus approval path |
Simple Ways PGY-3 Residents Stretch Their Pay
Once you know your take-home number, a few practical moves can stop money leaks without turning life into a spreadsheet.
- Use pre-tax benefits: Transit benefits or an HSA/FSA can soften commuting and health costs.
- Ask about food on call: Meal rooms and credits vary by hospital, so confirm what you get.
- Plan board and licensing costs early: Save a little each paycheck so the fees don’t land all at once.
Where To Find Your Program’s Exact PGY-3 Number
When someone asks, “how much do 3rd year residents make?”, the only fully correct reply is “it depends on the program.” You can still get a clean answer fast:
- Search the program name plus “salary and benefits” or “stipend.”
- Open the benefits page and find the stipend table by PGY year.
- Check whether the PGY-3 number includes any add-on.
- Confirm costs you’ll pay out of pocket: premiums and parking.
A Quick Reality Check Before You Commit
PGY-3 pay is steady money, but it won’t feel the same in every zip code. Before you sign, run a one-page budget with rent, commuting, and loan payments. Match the stipend table with your costs, and you’ll be able to answer with confidence: how much do 3rd year residents make?