In the U.S., gynecologists earn about $278k–$372k a year, with the top states paying above $350k.
Let’s answer the plain question fast and then give the depth you came for. Two trusted datasets are used most often when people quote gynecologist (OB-GYN) pay: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and large physician surveys. BLS publishes employer-reported wages by occupation and state. Broad physician surveys report total compensation across practice types. Read both together and you’ll get a clear, workable range for this specialty.
National Snapshot: Salary Ranges You Can Bank On
BLS lists a national mean wage for obstetricians and gynecologists near the high two hundreds. Large compensation surveys, which include incentive pay and vary by practice model, place total pay in the mid-to-high three hundreds. The table below lines up the headline numbers so you can see the spread and what each figure represents.
| Metric / Source | Amount | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| BLS Mean Annual Wage (OB-GYN) | $278,660 | Employer-reported wage (excludes many extras like some bonuses); May 2023 data. |
| BLS 10th Percentile (OB-GYN) | $89,850 | Lower end of reported wages, often training/part-time anomalies or limited-report areas. |
| BLS 25th Percentile (OB-GYN) | $186,290 | Quarter of reported wages fall at or below this mark. |
| Medscape 2025 Survey Average (OB-GYN) | $372,000 | Self-reported total compensation across settings for 2024 income year. |
| OB-GYN Bonus (Medscape 2024) | $40,000 | Typical incentive payout reported by surveyed physicians. |
| Average Physician Pay Change (2023, Doximity) | +5.9% | Year-over-year rebound across U.S. physicians; helps explain rising offers. |
| Top Paying State (BLS 2023) | $364,060 (WA) | Annual mean wage for OB-GYNs in Washington, the top state on BLS charts. |
So, how does this land for your original query—How Much Money Do Gynecologists Make? If you’re reading job ads or planning a move, expect base pay near the high-$200k range on hospital payrolls and total comp that commonly clears $300k when productivity incentives are on the table. Markets with fewer specialists, heavier call, or high-acuity service lines tend to pay more.
How Much Money Do Gynecologists Make? By Practice Setup
Pay isn’t one flat number. OB-GYN work splits across practice models, and that mix shapes compensation. Broad survey data shows single-specialty groups and multi-specialty groups usually lead, with hospitals close behind and academic roles lower on cash but rich on teaching, research, and schedule stability.
Practice Model Effects You’ll See In Offers
- Single-specialty groups: Strong upside on RVU or collections models; partners share overhead and call.
- Multi-specialty groups/health systems: Stable salary floors, solid benefits, and system support; incentive formulas vary.
- Hospital employment: Predictable base plus RVU bonus; call can be heavy in regional hubs.
- Academic centers: Lower base pay on average; teaching and research protected time add value in other ways.
- Locums and per-diem work: Daily or hourly rates can spike in shortage locations; travel and schedule trade-offs apply.
What “Total Compensation” Usually Includes
When surveys quote a single number, they’re blending salary with bonus, call stipends, quality incentives, and sometimes relocation or signing money. BLS wage tables focus on what employers report as wages and salaries; they’re excellent for state-by-state comparisons but don’t always capture full incentive pay. Reading both together gives a grounded range and helps you spot fair offers.
Close Variant: How Much Do Gynecologists Earn By State And City?
State lines matter. BLS data shows wide gaps by region, with the Pacific Northwest, parts of New England, and sections of the Mountain West posting strong means. Metro areas also swing pay through payer mix, call burden, and cost-of-living differences.
State Highlights From Recent BLS Tables
Washington, Connecticut, and Colorado sit near the top on the latest BLS release for obstetricians and gynecologists, each clearing the mid-$300k band on mean wage. Alaska, Delaware, and Hawaii also post healthy figures where data suppression isn’t an issue. A few states show suppressed percentiles due to small samples, so use the published means and pair them with local recruiting intel.
Metro Patterns You’ll Notice
- Large coastal metros: High demand meets high costs; base numbers can look big, but housing and taxes eat into take-home.
- Interior growth hubs: Balanced payer mix, steady volume, and livable costs often yield strong adjusted income.
- Academic clusters: Teaching commitments trade cash for protected time and career development.
What Moves A Gynecologist’s Pay Up Or Down
Experience And Procedural Breadth
Early-career physicians build quickly once they hit full clinic/surgery volume and get comfortable with higher-complexity cases. Laparoscopic and robotic skills, high-risk obstetrics, urogynecology procedures, and on-site ultrasound all tend to lift productivity and bonus payouts.
Call, Coverage, And Scheduling
OB coverage is relentless. Groups with lean staffing pay more for call, backup, and holiday coverage. Rural hospitals often sweeten packages with stipends and loan-help to keep the service line open.
Payer Mix And Case Volume
Commercial payer share, referral patterns, and the scope of in-office procedures drive RVUs and collections. Ambulatory surgery access and anesthesia support can change throughput and, by extension, compensation.
Employment Terms And Incentive Design
Two offers with the same base can pay very differently by year-end. Watch the RVU conversion factor, quality metrics, new-patient targets, and ramp-up guarantees. Read tail coverage, signing and retention timing, and any clawbacks with care.
Regional Pay: States With Strong BLS Means
Here are published BLS state means for obstetricians and gynecologists where data is available and robust. Use them as a benchmark when you weigh offers and cost of living.
| State | Mean OB-GYN Pay | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $364,060 | Leads BLS state list for OB-GYN mean wage. |
| Connecticut | $353,750 | Strong hospital and group salaries. |
| Colorado | $353,190 | Front Range metros post solid means. |
| North Dakota | $349,380 | Small sample; pay boosted by coverage needs. |
| Indiana | $331,870 | Competitive RVU models in multi-specialty groups. |
| Hawaii | $323,430 | Island coverage and travel patterns affect schedules. |
| New York | $262,790 | Large market; cost-of-living trims take-home. |
How To Read Conflicting Numbers Without Getting Lost
You’ll see two styles of “answer” to How Much Money Do Gynecologists Make? Government wage tables and self-reported total compensation. Each has a place. If you want a floor for a state or metro, the BLS mean is your anchor. If you want a sense of full packages across settings—base, RVU, and bonuses—the large survey averages tell that story. The spread between $278k and $372k reflects those different inputs, not an error.
Negotiation Tips That Match How Offers Are Built
Ask For The Model, Not Just The Number
Is the deal salary-plus-RVU, salary-plus-collections, or straight salary with a quality bonus? What RVU conversion factor is used? What’s the ramp for year one? Answers to those questions reveal your likely total pay far better than the base alone.
Pin Down Call, Clinic, And OR Time
Spell out call frequency, in-house vs. beeper, backup expectations, and whether OB triage is hospital-staffed. Define clinic templates and protected OR blocks. These items drive both lifestyle and compensation.
Clarify Support And Throughput
Scribe coverage, ultrasound tech time, MA ratios, and dedicated L&D time all change RVUs. If you’re expected to build a new panel, request marketing or referral introductions and get the ramp targets in writing.
Frequently Asked Salary Scenarios
Academic Track
Expect a lower base with steady raises by rank. Stipends for leadership, program duties, and call help round out the package. Many physicians choose this path for teaching, research opportunities, and schedule predictability.
Private Group To Partnership
Year one often includes a guaranteed salary with a wRVU bonus and a clear buy-in or time-based path to equity. Once you cross to partner, distributions can exceed the surveyed averages during strong years.
Hospital Employed With RVU Bonus
These packages center on a solid base, a conversion factor tied to specialty benchmarks, and a handful of quality metrics. Signing and retention bonuses are common; tail coverage on the employer is worth real money.
Method Notes: Where The Numbers Come From
The BLS occupational tables compile employer-reported wages and publish national, state, and metro estimates. Survey-based reports gather self-reported compensation from practicing physicians and summarize by specialty, practice setting, and region. Because methods differ, the totals rarely match exactly; used together, they triangulate a tight range.
For quick reference inside this article, here are two source links you can open in a new tab:
- BLS Occupational Employment & Wages: Obstetricians And Gynecologists
- Doximity 2024 Physician Compensation Report
Bottom Line For Job Seekers
If you’re scanning offers and wondering, “How Much Money Do Gynecologists Make?” peg fair total compensation in the low-to-mid $300k range in most markets, with top-paying states and heavier-call roles pushing higher. Use the state means to anchor your floor, then work the levers—call, RVUs, and support—to land where your skills and workload say you should be.