by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Medicine involves the study of Medicine. Continue reading for the important information every medicine major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering medicine programs.
Across the country, medicine is a widely-pursued major, with 29,737 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Medicine Schools ranking analyzes these 188 schools to determine the best overall colleges for medicine students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of medicine programs later in this article.
Coursework for Medicine emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations medicine graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a medicine program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a medicine major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several medicine degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 35 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 29,702 |
People currently working in careers related to medicine tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-doctoral training | 57.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 34.3% |
| First professional degree | 3.9% |
| Master’s degree | 1.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in medicine careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in medicine opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to medicine.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to medicine.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Podiatrists | 3,175,434 | 11.4% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 3,097,559 | 4.7% |
| Hospitalists | 3,061,067 | 0.8% |
| Urologists | 3,002,712 | 0.5% |
| Pediatricians, General | 2,951,941 | -1.8% |
| Anesthesiologists | 2,909,070 | 10.1% |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 2,867,654 | 11.0% |
| Cardiologists | 2,755,056 | 3.8% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of medicine graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,021 |
| 4 years | $106,601 |
| 5 years | $171,848 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for medicine graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers medicine grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Neurologists | $159,086 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $157,243 |
| Podiatrists | $141,542 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $126,544 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $120,724 |
| Urologists | $119,720 |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians | $117,397 |
| Sports Medicine Physicians | $115,792 |
With 188 different medicine programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased medicine school rankings to help you.
Those considering medicine, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 20,703 |
| Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy | 8,465 |
| Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry | 569 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
