Side-by-side distribution
Medical Writer
$95,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 28.9%
- Live roles
- 152
Physician
$217,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 48.2%
- Live roles
- 9,640
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Medical Writer
Principal Medical Writer
Principal Medical Writer
Principal Medical Writer
Senior Medical Writer, Clinical and Regulatory Strategic Communications (CRSC)
Senior Staff Medical Writer (Remote)
Principal Medical Writer - Publications
Sr. / Principal Medical Writer (Regulatory focus) - Sponsor-dedicated; NA/CAN/UK
Medical Writer - Clinical Compliance
Medical Writer / Clinical Document Author
Highest-paying jobs
Physician Internal Medicine
Physician Family Practice Primary Care
Physician Cardiologist Part Time
Physician Family Practice Primary Care
Physician, Emergency Department, Full Time
OB/GYN Physician MD/DO
Physician - Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Physician - Orthopedic Surgery - Hand Surgery
Physician - Orthopedic Surgery - Hand Surgery
Imaging Institute, Physician - Nuclear Medicine Radiologist
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
MJH Life Sciences
|
$93,750 | 6 |
Costello Medical
|
$70,372 | 5 |
Precision Medicine Group
|
$96,875 | 4 |
Precision AQ
|
$96,875 | 4 |
| SH Syneos Health | $128,150 | 3 |
GSK
|
$81,544 | 2 |
| IN Inotiv | $60,500 | 2 |
TANK Worldwide
|
$58,005 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
CVS Health
|
$150,977 | 1,035 |
One Medical
|
$238,600 | 250 |
MedElite Group, LLC.
|
$110,000 | 249 |
Essentia Health
|
$1,000,000 | 182 |
| MU MultiCare | $301,800 | 155 |
Sentara Health
|
$10,000 | 139 |
CenterWell
|
$276,750 | 126 |
ChenMed
|
$268,528 | 114 |
Physician salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $318,350 | 71 |
| Denver | $250,350 | 37 |
| Atlanta | $225,000 | 14 |
| Los Angeles | $221,343 | 27 |
| Chicago | $216,200 | 45 |
| Austin | $187,920 | 24 |
| New York | $166,400 | 129 |
| Seattle | $160,400 | 54 |
| Boston | $148,335 | 43 |
| London | $98,863 | 10 |
Medical Writer vs Physician: which pays more?
The median for Medical Writer is $95,000 per year (typically $85,234–$126,988), versus $217,500 for Physician ($137,259–$292,200). That puts Physician about 129% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Medical Writer and Physician are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.