Economy & Economic Development  August 14, 2015

Pay study: Colorado doctors’ salaries below U.S. average; nurses exceed it

Physicians and physician assistants earn far less than the national average, while nurses and health-care information-technology professionals earn far more, according to a national study of 28,000 health-care professionals by Denver-based Health eCareers.

The study also revealed that many are dissatisfied with their salaries, and most would leave their current positions for one that pays better. Also, 55 percent haven’t received a raise in the past year, which study authors said could be attributed, at least in part, to budgets being reallocated to fill more positions in response to the Affordable Care Act.

The national average salary for physicians is $249,000 a year, the survey found, compared with $202,000 a year in Colorado. Nurses, meanwhile, earn an average of $83,000 a year, compared with the national average of $64,000.

Most health-care workers who received pay raises in Colorado attributed the salary hikes to merit, whereas a job change was the most common national answer. About 40 percent said they were dissatisfied with their pay, mostly because it’s below average compared with similar jobs in the reason, and about a third said they’ll likely change jobs in the next year.

The study of more than 28,000 health-care professionals nationally, including nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, surgeons and administrative personnel, also found that employees of nonprofit health-care facilities tend to earn more than their for-profit counterparts in both hourly and salaried positions.

Physicians and physician assistants earn far less than the national average, while nurses and health-care information-technology professionals earn far more, according to a national study of 28,000 health-care professionals by Denver-based Health eCareers.

The study also revealed that many are dissatisfied with their salaries, and most would leave their current positions for one that pays better. Also, 55 percent haven’t received a raise in the past year, which study authors said could be attributed, at least in part, to budgets being reallocated to fill more positions in response to the Affordable Care Act.

The national average salary for physicians is $249,000 a…

Dallas Heltzell
With BizWest since 2012 and in Colorado since 1979, Dallas worked at the Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post and Public News Service. A Missouri native and Mizzou School of Journalism grad, Dallas started as a sports writer and outdoor columnist at the St. Charles (Mo.) Banner-News, then went to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before fleeing the heat and humidity for the Rockies. He especially loves covering our mountain communities.
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