General Internal Medicine Physicians earn a median of $256,560 per year ($123.35/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.0% through 2035, with about 1,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 29-1216
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
General Internal Medicine Physician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $256,560a year, or $123.35/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $74KTop 10% $475K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.0%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,90073,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202573.1K
- Projected 203576K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 73.1K Projected 2035 76K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Doctorate47%
- Post-doctoral training53%
Highest education held by general internal medicine physicians Segment Value Doctorate 47% Post-doctoral training 53%
Also advertised as: Doctor, Gastroenterologist, General Internal Medicine Physician, General Internist, Internal Medicine Doctor, Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician).
Pay
How much do General Internal Medicine Physicians make?
Every general internal medicine physician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$256,560
Middle half earn $124,470 to $374,850
- 10th
- $73,570
- 25th
- $124,470
- 75th
- $374,850
- 90th
- $475,430
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,570 |
| 25th | $124,470 |
| Median | $256,560 |
| 75th | $374,850 |
| 90th | $475,430 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $256,560
- Median hourly wage
- $123.35/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $267,200
- People employed
- 67,150
Versus all US occupations
At $256,560, General Internal Medicine Physicians earn 403% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $205,580 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 150% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $475,430 or more while the bottom 10% earn $73,570, a gap of 6.5×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 97% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Georgia pays the most at $425,460, and still leads at $441,839 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay General Internal Medicine Physicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Georgia | $425,460 | $441,839 | 5,440 |
| 2Rhode Island | $379,490 | $371,031 | 300 |
| 3Minnesota | $373,700 | $378,925 | 2,270 |
| 4Wisconsin | $367,160 | $390,201 | 1,450 |
| 5Alaska | $366,080 | $357,643 | 110 |
| 6South Carolina | $359,500 | $383,471 | 1,260 |
| 7Idaho | $355,390 | $372,160 | 130 |
| 8Washington | $340,010 | $317,728 | 1,100 |
| 9North Dakota | $338,400 | $380,400 | 200 |
| 10Utah | $331,720 | $335,532 | 210 |
Job outlook
Is General Internal Medicine Physician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | +4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of General Internal Medicine Physicians to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,900 openings are projected each year, 2.6% of the 73,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of physicians and surgeons varies by occupation (see table). An increasing number of older adults, who are more likely than younger people to experience health problems and to need complex care, is expected to drive overall employment growth for physicians and surgeons.
In addition, increasing rates of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, will result in continued reliance on physicians and surgeons by large numbers of people seeking medical care.
Getting in
How to become a General Internal Medicine Physician
Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor’s degree as well as a degree from a medical school, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as general internal medicine physicians.
- Post-Doctoral Training53%
- Doctoral Degree47%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 53% |
| Doctoral Degree | 47% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a General Internal Medicine Physician do?
Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, and are based primarily in an outpatient care setting.
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They often counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare. Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.
There are two types of physicians, with similar degrees: M.D. (Medical Doctor) and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, but D.O.s place additional emphasis on the body's musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic (whole-person) patient care. D.O.s are most likely to be primary care physicians, although they work in all specialties.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
- Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
- Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Make diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most physicians and surgeons work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Many physicians and surgeons work long shifts, which may include irregular and overnight hours or being on call. Physicians and surgeons may travel between their offices and the hospital to care for patients. While on call, a physician may need to address a patient’s concerns over the phone or make an emergency visit to another location, such as a nursing home.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.1
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Science | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Service Orientation3.8
- Coordination3.3
- Systems Analysis3.3
- Persuasion3.1
- Instructing3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Billing and invoicing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Electronic mail software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a General Internal Medicine Physician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | General Internal Medicine Physician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Investigative6.8
- Social6.1
- Realistic4.4
- Conventional3.6
- Enterprising2.1
- Artistic1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to General Internal Medicine Physician
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with general internal medicine physicians highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- General Internal Medicine Physician$256,560
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within general internal medicine physician
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists General Internal Medicine Physician appears on
Questions
General Internal Medicine Physician: frequently asked questions
How much do General Internal Medicine Physicians make?
General Internal Medicine Physicians earn a median of $256,560 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 403% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $123.35/hr. The middle half earn between $124,470 and $374,850. The top 10% earn $475,430 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a General Internal Medicine Physician?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for General Internal Medicine Physicians. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 53.0% hold post-doctoral training.
Is General Internal Medicine Physician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a General Internal Medicine Physician do?
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. A core O*NET task: analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay General Internal Medicine Physicians the most?
The highest state medians for General Internal Medicine Physicians are Georgia ($425,460), Rhode Island ($379,490), Minnesota ($373,700) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a General Internal Medicine Physician?
O*NET scores General Internal Medicine Physicians highest on the Investigative, Social and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.