Physician Job Market Analysis Report: primary care physician
PhysEmp Job Market Index — Based on physician job listings posted on PhysEmp. This analysis is part of the PhysEmp Physician Salary Report series.
OVERVIEW
The current primary care physician job market reflects a robust and geographically diverse landscape, with a total of 180 job listings identified across the United States. These positions span a wide range of states, including North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, California, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, New York, Kansas, Virginia, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Alabama, Michigan, and Oregon. Of the 180 total listings, salary data was available for 140 of them, providing a strong basis for compensation analysis. Nationally, primary care physician salaries range from a low of $145,000 to a high of $395,000 annually. The national average salary range sits at $230,264 to $395,000, with most full-time positions falling between $219,000 and $306,000 and part-time arrangements reaching as high as $378,000 or more.
HIGHEST-PAYING STATES
California stands out as the highest-paying state for primary care physicians, with an average salary range of $298,000 to $339,000, despite having only five salary-confirmed listings out of 12 total. Massachusetts follows closely, offering an average range of $300,000 to $310,000 based on one confirmed salary listing out of two total postings. Ohio also performs well on the higher end, with an average range of $260,000 to $280,000 from a single salary-confirmed listing. Nevada rounds out the top tier with an average range of $249,571 to $315,214 across seven salary-confirmed listings, making it one of the more reliable high-paying markets given its data volume.
LOWEST-PAYING STATES
At the lower end of the compensation spectrum, Mississippi offers an average salary range of $214,067 to $304,433, placing it among the least competitive markets. Kentucky similarly lags, with an average range of $215,067 to $255,887 — notably compressed on the high end compared to most other states, falling well below the national average high of $395,000. Tennessee and Louisiana both average $215,400 on the low end, with highs of $305,180 and $305,050 respectively, keeping them near the bottom of the national pay scale. These states fall meaningfully below the national average low of $230,264, suggesting physicians in these markets may face a compensation disadvantage relative to peers in other regions.
NEAR-AVERAGE STATES
Several states cluster near the national average salary range and serve as useful benchmark markets. Virginia offers an average range of $218,811 to $309,400 across nine salary-confirmed listings, closely mirroring national norms. Kansas and Missouri both report identical average ranges of $219,400 to $306,900, aligning almost precisely with the mid-range national figures. Florida, with 29 salary-confirmed listings out of 30 total, shows an average range of $222,741 to $305,572, making it one of the most data-rich and representative benchmark states in the country.
JOB VOLUME LEADERS
Florida and Texas lead the nation in primary care physician job volume, each posting 30 listings. Texas offers an average salary range of $224,441 to $318,137 across 27 salary-confirmed listings, suggesting that high volume does not come at the expense of competitive pay. North Carolina and Arizona each have 13 and 12 listings respectively, with North Carolina averaging $229,055 to $324,491 and Arizona averaging $234,733 to $326,544 — both above the national average low. South Carolina and California also each show 12 listings, reinforcing the Southeast and West Coast as active hiring regions.
NOTABLE LISTINGS
The highest salary listing nationally is a part-time primary care physician position in Burlington, NC, and other locations, offering an annual range of $270,800 to $378,800 — and the national ceiling reaches as high as $395,000. On the opposite end, the lowest salary listing is a part-time primary care physician position in Berea, KY, with an annual range of $145,000 to $155,000, representing the floor of the national market and a stark contrast to top-paying opportunities.
MARKET TAKEAWAY
For primary care physicians seeking the best balance of compensation and job availability, Florida and Texas offer the strongest combination of high listing volume and competitive salary ranges, making them prime markets for job seekers. California and Massachusetts command the highest average salaries but present fewer confirmed openings, suiting physicians who prioritize pay over breadth of choice. Physicians open to Southeast markets such as North Carolina, Arizona, and South Carolina will find a healthy mix of above-average compensation and solid job availability across the primary care physician specialty.
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