A podiatrist is a medical doctor who may perform surgeries and prescribe medication. A person who wants to become a podiatrist must complete medical school, graduate from an accredited podiatry program, pass the National Board Exam and pass state board exams.
A podiatrist’s average salary is $182,000. The median salary in this job is $162,000. The best paid 10 percent earn more than $222,000. As with most professions, pay varies widely based on geography and industry. In fact, when comparing industries like Hospitals versus Ambulatory Health Care Services, the gap is substantial with mean total compensation for a podiatrist of $21,317 versus $229,005 respectively. Also noticeable is the gap in the range of salaries offered by employers within each industry. For example, the starting salary for a Podiatrist at the top 100 hospitals can expect to earn at least $174K but at ambulatory care services it’s only $252K
Starting Salary For Podiatrist Overview
If you’re wondering how much a podiatrist makes an hour, you’ve come to the right place!
Podiatrists are medical professionals who specialize in the treatment of conditions affecting the foot and ankle. They often work with patients who have diabetes or other serious conditions that require special attention.
The first step to getting your foot in the door as a podiatrist is getting your degree from a four-year program. Most podiatrists have a doctorate degree in Podiatric Medicine, which involves completing six years of school after college graduation.
After graduating from college, aspiring podiatrists will need to complete two years of residency training under the supervision of an experienced podiatrist before they can practice independently.
The average salary for a podiatrist can vary depending on where they work. Podiatrists working for hospitals or private practice generally make more than those who work for clinics or schools because they have less overhead costs associated with running their business.
In addition to salaries, many employers offer benefits packages that include health insurance coverage as well as retirement plans such as 401(k)s or 403(b)s so that employees can save money for retirement without having to worry about paying taxes upfront (since
Starting Salary for a Newly Graduated Podiatrist
A podiatrist is a doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the lower legs and feet. In order to practice, a podiatrist must earn a doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.) degree from an accredited school and be licensed in the state where she practices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median 2020 pay for a podiatrist was $134,300 a year, or $64.57 per hour.
Podiatrist Description
Podiatrists are sometimes referred to as “foot doctors,” but their training and licensing qualifies them as medical specialists who can treat injuries and conditions of the feet, ankles and lower leg. WebMD explains that podiatrists can perform surgery, reset broken bones, order X-rays and lab tests and prescribe medications. They treat conditions such as arthritis, bunions, hammer toe, plantar fasciitis and complications associated with diabetes.
Podiatrist Education Requirements
The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) lists the nine accredited schools where you can earn your doctorate. The degree requires that you spend four years in residence, where your training will be divided between classroom instruction, laboratory work in the basic sciences and supervised clinical practice.
Admission to podiatrist school requires a minimum of 90 semester hours of college credits, including eight hours each of biology, physics, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and English. Over 97 percent of students accepted to a podiatric medical school have earned a bachelor’s degree. You’ll also need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
According to the AACPM, the average grade point average (G.P.A.) for admission was 3.3 in 2019. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,006 individuals applied for 679 places in the nation’s podiatrist schools.
Podiatrist Licensure
You must be licensed to practice podiatric medicine. Licensure is granted by individual states, and requirements for both licensure and scope of practice can vary. Most states require post-graduate training or a residency for full licensure. Some states offer reciprocity, meaning they honor a valid license from another state. For complete information, visit the website of the Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards.
Podiatry Salary by State
The employment website Salary reports the average podiatrist salary in the United States as $209,990 as of April 2021. The typical range of salaries is $140,259 to $339,000. A podiatrist starting salary is not necessarily at the lowest end of the reported range. A podiatrist’s earnings, even when newly graduated, depend on factors such as geographic location, employer and the number of hours worked.
As of 2020, podiatrists reported the highest annual earnings, on average, in Maine ($214,960), followed by Nebraska ($206,050), New Hampshire ($192,130), Oklahoma ($187,420) and North Carolina ($186,100). Metropolitan areas where podiatrists reported the highest average annual earnings include Youngstown, OH ($229,330) Virginia Beach ($226,260), Charlotte, NC ($221,380), Omaha, NE ($204,940), Houston, TX ($203,660), Washington D.C. ($202,510), Syracuse, NY ($194,720), Boston, MA ($187,510) and Tampa, FL ($185,040). All figures are provided through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Forbes magazine lists average salaries for podiatrists by state for all years between 2013 and 2018. Looking at these data allow you to see salary trends in different parts of the country. If you’re graduating with a doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.) degree, it’s important to look at salary averages in the states where you’d like to practice.
