{"id":"cmnf7vyh000n332xil8j4d0kt","slug":"doctor-vs-lawyer","title":"Doctor vs Lawyer: Pay, Training and Job Outlook","shortAnswer":"Physicians and surgeons earned a median $275,930 a year in May 2025, held 862,800 jobs, and typically need a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school and 3 to 9 years of residency. Lawyers earned a median $159,670, held 863,700 jobs, and usually need about 7 years of study after high school, a law degree and a state license from passing the bar exam. Employment is projected to grow 4% for physicians and 5% for lawyers from 2025 to 2035. Choose by the work you want, not pay alone.","verdict":"Doctor: median $275,930; bachelor's, 4 years of medical school and 3 to 9 years of residency.\n\nLawyer: median $159,670; about 7 years of study and a bar exam.\n\nPay varies widely by specialty, employer and location.","category":"education","entities":[{"id":"doctor","slug":"doctor","name":"Doctor (Physician)","shortDesc":"Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses.","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"concept","position":0,"pros":["Median pay $275,930 a year (May 2025)","862,800 jobs in 2025","Specialties from family medicine to surgery"],"cons":["Bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, then 3 to 9 years of residency","Long shifts, overnight hours and on-call duty"],"bestFor":"People drawn to patient care and science"},{"id":"lawyer","slug":"lawyer","name":"Lawyer","shortDesc":"Lawyers advise and represent clients on legal proceedings and transactions.","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"concept","position":1,"pros":["Median pay $159,670 a year (May 2025)","About 7 years of study after high school","Employment projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035"],"cons":["Must pass a bar exam for a state license","Some work more than 40 hours a week; trials and deadlines can be stressful"],"bestFor":"People drawn to argument, research and writing"}],"keyDifferences":[{"label":"Median pay (May 2025)","entityAValue":"$275,930","entityBValue":"$159,670","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Jobs (2025)","entityAValue":"862,800","entityBValue":"863,700","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Training after high school","entityAValue":"Bachelor's + 4 years medical school + 3-9 years residency","entityBValue":"About 7 years (bachelor's + 3 years law school)","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Projected growth 2025-35","entityAValue":"4%","entityBValue":"5%","winner":"tie"}],"attributes":[{"id":"a0","slug":"a0","name":"Degree","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"M.D. or D.O.","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"Juris Doctor (J.D.)","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"a1","slug":"a1","name":"License","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"State medical license","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"State bar admission","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"a2","slug":"a2","name":"Lowest 10% earned less than","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"$76,560","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"$78,360","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"a3","slug":"a3","name":"Highest 10% earned more than","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"$488,320","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"$351,600","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"a4","slug":"a4","name":"Openings per year (projected)","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"About 22,100","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"About 28,700","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"a5","slug":"a5","name":"Main settings","unit":null,"category":"Careers","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"doctor","valueText":"Physicians' offices and hospitals","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"lawyer","valueText":"Legal services (52%), self-employed (11%)","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null}]}],"faqs":[{"question":"Who earns more, doctors or lawyers?","answer":"In May 2025, the median annual wage was $275,930 for physicians and surgeons and $159,670 for lawyers. Pay varies widely by specialty, employer and location."},{"question":"How long does it take to become a doctor?","answer":"Typically a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school, and 3 to 9 years of internship and residency. A fellowship adds 1 to 3 years."},{"question":"How long does it take to become a lawyer?","answer":"Usually about 7 years of full-time study after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school, then a bar exam."},{"question":"Which field is growing faster?","answer":"Lawyer employment is projected to grow 5% and physician employment 4% from 2025 to 2035."},{"question":"How many doctors and lawyers are there?","answer":"Physicians and surgeons held about 862,800 jobs and lawyers about 863,700 jobs in 2025."},{"question":"Which specialties pay the most?","answer":"Among physicians in May 2025, pediatric surgeons had a median of $559,030 and cardiologists $496,010. Among lawyers, the federal government had a median of $178,380."}],"relatedComparisons":[],"relatedBlogPosts":[],"expertAnalysis":"Physicians and surgeons earned a median $275,930 a year in May 2025, held 862,800 jobs, and typically need a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school and 3 to 9 years of residency. Lawyers earned a median $159,670, held 863,700 jobs, and usually need about 7 years of study after high school, a law degree and a state license from passing the bar exam. Employment is projected to grow 4% for physicians and 5% for lawyers from 2025 to 2035. Choose by the work you want, not pay alone.\n\nKey takeaways\n\n- Median pay, May 2025: physicians and surgeons $275,930; lawyers $159,670.\n- Jobs in 2025: physicians and surgeons 862,800; lawyers 863,700.\n- Training: physicians need medical school plus 3 to 9 years of residency; lawyers need about 7 years after high school and a bar exam.\n- Projected employment growth, 2025 to 2035: physicians 4%, lawyers 5%.\n- Projected openings each year: about 22,100 for physicians and surgeons, 28,700 for lawyers.\n\nEducation and licensing\n\nPhysicians need a bachelor's degree, then an M.D. or D.O., which takes 4 more years. Residency lasts 3 to 9 years depending on specialty, and a fellowship adds 1 to 3 years. All states require a license. Lawyers typically complete 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school for a Juris Doctor (J.D.), then pass a bar exam to be admitted in a state.\n\nPay range\n\nPhysician pay ranged from under $76,560 for the lowest 10 percent to more than $488,320 for the highest 10 percent, and varies widely by specialty, from $210,040 for general pediatricians to $559,030 for pediatric surgeons. Lawyer pay ranged from under $78,360 to more than $351,600; lawyers in the federal government had a median of $178,380.\n\nWork settings\n\n1. Physicians work in offices and hospitals, often with long or irregular shifts and on-call duty.\n2. Lawyers work mostly in offices; 52% work in legal services and 11% are self-employed.\n\nWho should pick which\n\nChoose medicine if you want patient care and can commit to residency. Choose law if you want advocacy, research and writing, with a shorter path to practice.","quickAnswer":{"tldr":"Physicians and surgeons earned a median $275,930 a year in May 2025, held 862,800 jobs, and typically need a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school and 3 to 9 years of residency. Lawyers earned a median $159,670, held 863,700 jobs, and usually need about 7 years of study after high school, a law degree and a state license from passing the bar exam. Employment is projected to grow 4% for physicians and 5% for lawyers from 2025 to 2035. Choose by the work you want, not pay alone.","winnerName":null,"winnerReason":"Medicine for patient care with longer training; law for advocacy and a shorter path to practice.","keyFact":"Median pay in May 2025: $275,930 for physicians and surgeons, $159,670 for lawyers."},"citationStats":{"sourceCount":2,"dataPointCount":12,"reviewsAnalyzed":null,"preferencePercent":null,"preferenceEntity":null,"lastResearched":"2026-10-16","sources":[{"name":"BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons","url":"https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm"},{"name":"BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers","url":"https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm"}]},"resources":[{"type":"external","label":"BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons","url":"https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm","description":"Median $275,930 (May 2025); 862,800 jobs; 4% growth 2025-35; 3-9 years residency."},{"type":"external","label":"BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers","url":"https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm","description":"Median $159,670 (May 2025); 863,700 jobs; 5% growth 2025-35; about 7 years of study; bar exam."}],"metadata":{"metaTitle":"Doctor (Physician) vs Lawyer | A Versus B","metaDescription":"Doctor vs lawyer: May 2025 median pay, jobs, education and licensing, residency vs bar exam, and projected 2025-35 employment growth.","publishedAt":"2026-10-16T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-16T00:00:00Z","isAutoGenerated":false,"isHumanReviewed":false,"viewCount":0,"status":"published"}}