Washington, DC is paying Occupational Medicine physicians up to $520,000 annually to keep workers healthy and employers compliant. New Jersey, meanwhile, offers $240,000 for roughly the same work. The national market currently lists 31 active positions across 16 states and the District of Columbia, with only 10 disclosing compensation. What the data reveals: Occupational Medicine pays well almost everywhere, pays exceptionally in a handful of markets, and remains maddeningly opaque in two-thirds of available roles.
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The Occupational Medicine Job Market at a Glance

Total listings: 31. Listings with salary data: 10. Full compensation range: $240,000 to $520,000 annually. National average range: $316,420 to $354,860.

The spread is wide but not wild. Most disclosed salaries cluster in the $280,000 to $365,000 band, with Washington, DC functioning as a statistical outlier (and a very well-compensated one). The floor sits $76,420 below the national average low, courtesy of a single New Jersey listing that appears to have missed the memo on competitive positioning. The ceiling, by contrast, reflects hourly arrangements in the nation’s capital that annualize into low-seven-figure territory when calculated at standard full-time hours.

States represented:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Washington, DC

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How States Stack Up

Overperformers: Washington, DC leads the nation with a salary range of $416,000 to $520,000, driven by two hourly positions that translate to the highest annualized compensation in the dataset. Colorado averages $345,000 to $365,000, pairing above-average pay with meaningful job volume. Massachusetts offers $343,200 to $353,600 for a part-time role in Lexington, proving that hourly arrangements can compete with salaried positions when structured correctly. Kansas delivers $330,000 to $355,000, a quiet overperformer with limited volume but strong compensation.

Near-average performers: Illinois posts $282,000 to $295,000 across two Peoria listings, landing slightly below the national average but well within the expected range for mid-tier markets.

Underperformers: New Jersey lists a single position at $240,000, the lowest confirmed salary in the dataset and $76,420 beneath the national average low. California averages $255,000 to $302,500 across two listings, a surprisingly modest range given the state’s cost of living and its status as the volume leader.

Volume leaders: California dominates with 6 listings, followed by Colorado with 4. Washington, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Washington, DC each post 2 openings. California’s volume advantage does not translate to compensation leadership; its average sits below the national benchmark, making it a quantity-over-quality play for employers and a location-driven choice for physicians.
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What This Means If You’re a Physician

If your priority is maximum compensation: Washington, DC is the clear answer. The highest-paying listing offers $250 per hour ($520,000 annualized) for an Occupational Medicine role in the District. Colorado and Massachusetts also deliver strong returns without requiring a move to the Beltway.

If your priority is maximum optionality: California offers 6 listings, the most in the nation, though average pay trails the national benchmark by $61,420 on the low end. Colorado provides a better balance, combining 4 openings with above-average salaries.

If your priority is balance: Kansas and Illinois offer reasonable compensation in lower-cost markets. Kansas averages $330,000 to $355,000 with minimal competition. Illinois sits at $282,000 to $295,000 in Peoria, where housing costs and lifestyle trade-offs favor physicians seeking financial efficiency over headline salary figures.

Cost-of-living mismatches: California’s $255,000 floor is difficult to justify in a state where median home prices exceed $800,000. New Jersey’s $240,000 listing fares even worse relative to regional expenses. Washington, DC’s $520,000 ceiling, by contrast, makes sense when adjusted for District living costs and tax burdens.
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What This Means If You’re a Recruiter

Salary transparency rate: 32.3% (10 of 31 listings disclosed compensation). This is low enough to create friction in candidate pipelines and high enough to establish clear benchmarks that will be used against you.

Candidate pipeline implications: Physicians evaluating Occupational Medicine roles now have access to a national average and a documented ceiling. Any offer below $316,420 will require explanation. Any offer in California or New Jersey will face scrutiny unless accompanied by non-monetary differentiators such as equity, flexible scheduling, or leadership pathways.

Volume-pay misalignments: California leads in listings but lags in compensation, meaning recruiters in the state will need to lead with lifestyle, weather, and proximity to family rather than salary. Colorado has solved this problem by offering both volume and pay. New Jersey has solved nothing and should reconsider its positioning immediately.
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What’s Driving the Numbers

Hourly roles set the ceiling, not the floor.

The two highest-compensated positions in the dataset are structured as hourly arrangements in Washington, DC, annualizing to $416,000 and $520,000. This suggests that Occupational Medicine lends itself to contract or per-diem work at premium rates, particularly in high-cost or high-demand markets. Physicians with flexibility and a tolerance for variable schedules can extract significantly more value than their salaried peers.

Volume and pay are inversely correlated in this dataset.

California lists the most jobs but pays below the national average. Washington, DC lists only two positions but pays nearly double the national ceiling. This inversion suggests that Occupational Medicine compensation is driven more by scarcity and employer desperation than by market saturation. Physicians willing to move to smaller markets or less obvious locations will be rewarded.

Part-time roles do not distort the floor; full-time roles do.

The lowest salary in the dataset ($240,000 in New Jersey) is a full-time position. Massachusetts, by contrast, offers $343,200 to $353,600 for part-time hourly work. This indicates that part-time arrangements in Occupational Medicine are often better compensated on an annualized basis than poorly structured full-time roles, and that physicians should scrutinize employment terms rather than simply defaulting to salaried positions.

Geography commands a larger premium than scope or leadership.

The $280,000 salary gap between New Jersey and Washington, DC cannot be explained by clinical scope, administrative responsibility, or patient volume. It is a function of location, employer type, and market conditions. Occupational Medicine physicians seeking maximum earnings should prioritize geography over title, and should treat job listings in high-volume states with appropriate skepticism.

The Bottom Line

The Occupational Medicine job market is geographically distributed, moderately transparent, and characterized by a small number of exceptionally well-compensated outliers. Physicians who prioritize location over salary will find opportunities in California. Physicians who prioritize salary over location will find opportunities in Washington, DC, Colorado, and Kansas. Physicians who expect both will need to be patient, flexible, or willing to negotiate harder than the data suggests is currently common.

Occupational Medicine pays well, but it pays twice as well if you are willing to work where the need is greatest and the competition is thinnest.
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Salary data based on 10 listings with disclosed compensation. Figures may reflect part-time or specialized roles. This report is informational and should not replace professional judgment or financial planning.