PhysEmp Job Market Index — Based on physician job listings posted on PhysEmp. This analysis is part of the PhysEmp Physician Salary Report series.
Overview
If you are a Primary Care Physician wondering how the job market is treating you right now, the answer is: actively, earnestly, and with a level of geographic salary variation that will make you question every life decision you made after medical school.
The national Primary Care market currently shows 181 active job listings across the country. Of those, 25 listings included salary data — approximately 14% — which is enough to draw conclusions, though perhaps not enough to make any one conclusion feel particularly confident.
The full national salary range spans from $145,000 to $360,000 annually. That is not so much a range as it is a reminder that “Primary Care Physician” can mean very different things depending on whether you are working full-time in Indiana or part-time in Kentucky, a distinction that turns out to matter quite a lot financially.
The national average salary range sits between $230,480 and $310,780 — which is where most of the action is, and where most physicians will find themselves if they avoid Kentucky and head toward Indiana with any urgency.
Physicians ready to explore the market can browse current Primary Care physician job opportunities on PhysEmp.
Highest-Paying States
Indiana leads the nation in Primary Care compensation, with an average salary range of $310,000 to $330,000. The top listing — a full-time position in Merrillville — offered $340,000 to $360,000, representing the current national ceiling for the specialty. Indiana has apparently decided it wants Primary Care physicians badly enough to actually pay for them, which is a refreshing approach.
Arizona follows with an average range of $230,400 to $322,200, making it one of the more competitive markets for compensation, and also one with considerably better weather than Indiana, though the data does not account for that.
Texas rounds out the top tier at $220,900 to $314,400, offering solid earning potential alongside a reasonable supply of listings. Texas has historically been good at recruiting physicians, possibly because it is very large and has a lot of patients who need seeing.
Physicians interested in these markets can search current Primary Care jobs across the United States.
Lowest-Paying State
Kentucky represents the lowest-paying market in the current dataset, with a single listing reporting $145,000 to $155,000 annually. This figure is notably below the national average — by more than $75,000 on the high end — and reflects a part-time position, which explains some but perhaps not all of the gap. Physicians evaluating Kentucky should confirm whether the listing is part-time before making any interstate moving arrangements.
Physicians considering relocation can review current Primary Care job opportunities nationwide on PhysEmp.
Near-Average States
Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, Nevada, and Kansas all share an average salary range of $219,400 to $306,900 — identical ranges that suggest either a remarkable coincidence or a shared spreadsheet somewhere. North Carolina falls slightly below at $211,400 to $303,200, still representing a solid mid-market option for physicians who prefer their mountains on the eastern side of the country.
These states collectively offer predictable, competitive compensation for Primary Care physicians who are not chasing the top of the market but are not willing to accept Kentucky rates either.
To see how these trends compare with real opportunities, physicians can explore the latest Primary Care physician job listings on PhysEmp.
Job Volume Leaders
Florida leads the country with 6 listings, followed by Texas and Virginia with 3 each. Indiana, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina each contributed 2 listings. The rest reported one.
As is often the case in physician job market data, high volume and high pay do not always coincide. Florida offers the most listings but mid-range salaries. Texas offers both competitive pay and a reasonable listing count, making it the closest thing to a best-of-both-worlds market currently visible in the data.
Physicians can search the complete list of Primary Care physician jobs on PhysEmp.
Market Takeaway
For Primary Care physicians evaluating the current job market, Indiana and Texas offer the strongest combination of compensation and opportunity. Florida provides the highest volume of options at mid-range pay — a reasonable trade-off for physicians whose priority is location rather than maximizing salary.
The broader takeaway is this: Primary Care remains in strong demand nationally, but compensation varies enough by state that geography may be the single most important variable in your job search — even more than the employer, the schedule, or whether the office has a working coffee machine.
Physicians ready to explore options can search all Primary Care physician jobs on PhysEmp.
