{"slug":"doctor-vs-lawyer","title":"Doctor vs Lawyer: Pay, Training and Job Outlook","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","faqCount":6,"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."}],"faqPageSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#faq","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"Doctor vs Lawyer: Pay, Training and Job Outlook — FAQ","description":"Frequently asked questions about Doctor vs Lawyer: Pay, Training and Job Outlook","dateModified":"2026-10-16T00:00:00.000Z","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#article"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#faq-speakable","cssSelector":[".faq-answer"]},"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q1","name":"Who earns more, doctors or lawyers?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a1","text":"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.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q2","name":"How long does it take to become a doctor?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a2","text":"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.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q3","name":"How long does it take to become a lawyer?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a3","text":"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.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q4","name":"Which field is growing faster?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a4","text":"Lawyer employment is projected to grow 5% and physician employment 4% from 2025 to 2035.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q5","name":"How many doctors and lawyers are there?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a5","text":"Physicians and surgeons held about 862,800 jobs and lawyers about 863,700 jobs in 2025.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#q6","name":"Which specialties pay the most?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/doctor-vs-lawyer#a6","text":"Among physicians in May 2025, pediatric surgeons had a median of $559,030 and cardiologists $496,010. 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