How much do doctors in Australia earn in a year?

Australian doctors receive one the highest incomes in the world.
In Australia, a doctor’s salary is in the top 10% of earners in the country. While a first year doctor’s salary starts off with an average of $80,000, the median salary of experienced general practitioners is about $350,000. Salaries of specialist doctors such as Neurosurgeons can earn up to $500,00 per year. 

Locum doctors in Australia earn up to $2,500 a day while enjoying high work-life balance. 

What kind of doctors get paid the most in Australia?

Specialist doctors in private practices in Australia are one of the highest paid doctors in the world.

Here are the top three highest earning doctor salaries in Australia:

1. Neurosurgeons get paid the highest average annual salary of $288,457. Experienced neurosurgeons can earn up to $500,000 per year.
2. Orthopaedic surgeons earn the second highest average salary of $240,000. Mid-career orthopedic surgeons with an experience ranging between five to nine years earn upto $255,00, and surgeons with more than 20 years of experience earn ipto $450,000 per year.
3. Cardiothoracic surgeons earn the third highest average annual salary of $206,000. This increases based on the number of years of service and experience. 

Factors influencing doctor salaries in Australia

Multiple factors influence doctor pay rates in Australia: 

• Area of specialisation – A doctor’s specialisation plays the biggest and most integral role in determining their salary or hourly rate. Areas such as Neurology, Orthopaedic, Cardiology, Radiology and Plastic Surgery are some of the highest paying medical specialties.
  
• Employment Type – The type of employment and the amount of working hours plays a significant role in determining the salaries of locum doctors and practitioners. In some scenarios locum doctors have a higher hourly rate than permanent doctors resulting in a greater annual income. 
  
• Position or seniority – A doctor’s position or seniority plays a big role in determining their salary. Being a Resident, Registrar or Consultant has a significant impact on your annual income as a doctor.
  

Location – A general practitioner working in a hospital or a private clinic in one of the major Australian cities can expect to earn higher than a practitioner working in a rural area.

What is a doctor’s starting salary?

An Australian junior doctor’s starting salary is around $70,000 to $85,000. This average can vary based on the area of specialty such as emergency medicine, general medicine, psychiatry, and anaesthetics. 

Junior doctor salaries vary between the different Australian states. Western Australia pays the highest average salary of $85,000, whereas Tasmania pays junior doctors an average of $72,000. In Victoria, junior doctors enjoy the benefits of financial provisions for their professional developments courses and programs.

HCA Doctor Jobs

Are you looking to start your career as a locum or permanent doctor in Australia?

HCA Doctors is a leading healthcare recruiter for doctor jobs in the country. We recruit for over 15,000 doctor shifts annually. We have built relationships with Australia’s best private and public hospitals and top health care organisations, to give you the flexibility to decide when and where you work.

We recruit permanent positions, locum doctors, junior doctors, specialists, general practitioners, and remote placements.

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