top of page
Search

US Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician Compensation Reaches $376,234 in Doximity’s 2026 Report

Writer: nuaxia
nuaxia
Sep 7
3 min read

Average annual compensation for US physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians reached $376,234 in Doximity’s 2026 Physician Compensation Report, providing an updated national benchmark for physicians working in PM&R.

US physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, also known as physiatrists, recorded average annual compensation of $376,234, according to Doximity’s 2026 Physician Compensation Report. The latest figure provides PM&R physicians with a specialty-specific benchmark when evaluating their compensation, employment opportunities and the financial expectations associated with their practice.

Key findings

Doximity reports average annual compensation of $376,234 for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physicians in its 2026 Physician Compensation Report.

For physiatrists, the figure provides a useful national reference point within a specialty focused on restoring function, reducing disability and improving quality of life for patients affected by musculoskeletal, neurological and other disabling conditions.

The national average should not be interpreted as the compensation every PM&R physician will receive. Individual earnings can vary according to geography, experience, patient volume, procedural activity, subspecialty focus, practice setting and employment structure.

PM&R physician compensation reaches $376,234

The $376,234 average establishes a current national compensation benchmark for US physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians.

PM&R encompasses the diagnosis and management of conditions affecting physical function and mobility. Physiatrists may care for patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, amputation and other neurological or musculoskeletal conditions.

Clinical practice can vary considerably. Some physicians work primarily in inpatient rehabilitation, while others focus on outpatient musculoskeletal medicine, neurological rehabilitation, pain-related conditions or other areas of rehabilitation medicine.

Depending on training and practice focus, PM&R physicians may also perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including electrodiagnostic testing and musculoskeletal interventions.

For physiatrists reviewing their current compensation or considering a new position, the Doximity figure provides a useful specialty-specific reference against which an individual package can be assessed.

What influences PM&R physician compensation?

Physical medicine and rehabilitation encompasses a wide range of clinical settings, meaning practice focus, patient volume, procedural activity and care setting can all be important when evaluating individual compensation.

A physiatrist working predominantly within an inpatient rehabilitation facility may have a substantially different workload from a physician whose practice is concentrated on outpatient musculoskeletal medicine or procedural care.

Subspecialty expertise can also shape clinical responsibilities. Physicians may focus on areas including spinal cord injury medicine, brain injury medicine, sports medicine, neuromuscular medicine or other aspects of rehabilitation.

Procedural activity can be particularly relevant for some practices, while other roles may be centred more heavily on multidisciplinary rehabilitation, functional assessment and longitudinal patient management.

Geography, experience and employment model may further influence compensation. PM&R physicians can work within hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, health systems, academic medical centres and specialist practices, with different organisations using different salary, productivity and incentive arrangements.

These factors mean the $376,234 national average should be treated as a benchmark rather than an expected salary for every PM&R physician.

What the latest figure means for PM&R physicians

For US physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, $376,234 provides a contemporary national reference point when benchmarking existing compensation or assessing a prospective position.

When reviewing an employment opportunity, physiatrists should consider headline compensation alongside expected patient volumes, inpatient or outpatient responsibilities, procedural workload, working hours and productivity requirements.

The precise clinical focus of the role is particularly important. Two PM&R positions can involve substantially different responsibilities depending on whether the physician works primarily in inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient musculoskeletal care, neurological rehabilitation or a more procedure-focused practice.

The latest Doximity figure therefore provides PM&R physicians with a useful starting point for evaluating compensation while recognising that individual earnings can differ substantially according to the clinical and contractual characteristics of a particular role.

About the data

The Doximity 2026 Physician Compensation Report provides compensation benchmarks across a wide range of US medical and surgical specialties.

The specialty figures represent average compensation and should be treated as national benchmarks. An individual PM&R physician’s compensation may differ according to geography, experience, patient volume, procedural activity, subspecialty focus, practice setting and other professional factors.

Source

Discover how nuaxia can support your next medical education initiative:

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet
Add a rating
bottom of page