The road to becoming a doctor is paved with many challenges, not the least of which is the cost of the education necessary to earn a medical degree. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of a four-year undergraduate degree as well as a four-year medical school in the United States totals more than $360,000. This cost will vary depending on whether one attends public or private schools. Since the process is similar to becoming a doctor in Canada, Canadian students can expect similar costs for medical study. Comparatively speaking, becoming a doctor in the United Kingdom is a shorter process, wherein medical school is started immediately after secondary education in lieu of an undergraduate education. As a result, the cost to become a doctor in the U.K. is around $150,000 USD.
The silver lining is the return on investment is generally quite high for doctors, who have the potential to earn very good salaries across various areas of specialty. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 19 of the 20 top highest paying occupations are in the health care field. Glassdoor says the average salary for a doctor can ranges from $180,000 to $340,000 per year. However, certain medical specialties earn even higher salaries. Forbes lists these five top-paying specializations and their average annual salaries in the U.S. Generally speaking, U.S. doctors earn more than doctors across the globe.
1. Plastic surgery: $576,000
2. Orthopedics: $557,000
3. Cardiology: $490,000
4.Otolaryngology: $469,000
5. Urology: $461,000
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