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The 2026-2027 DO School Specific Threads are now available in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 discussions are now available in the prior year discussions forum.
Is the average salary for DO's less than MD's? If so, what is the national average? Just trying to figure out how outrageous my debts will be once I get out of DO school 🙂
Insurance companies dont know what your degree is when you bill them as billing codes are exactly the same for both MDs and DOs. If you're a law-abiding D.O., and use OMM from time to time, this will often add about 10-15% on top of what an MD makes for the same specialty, maybe not in radiology or pathology, but most other specialties can use it from time to time.
Originally posted by oceandocDO Insurance companies dont know what your degree is when you bill them as billing codes are exactly the same for both MDs and DOs. If you're a law-abiding D.O., and use OMM from time to time, this will often add about 10-15% on top of what an MD makes for the same specialty, maybe not in radiology or pathology, but most other specialties can use it from time to time.
Originally posted by kinkocopies3 Is the average salary for DO's less than MD's? If so, what is the national average? Just trying to figure out how outrageous my debts will be once I get out of DO school 🙂
Since specialists make more money and MDs have a higher percentage of specialists, I would guess that the average salary of an MD is likely higher than the average salary of a DO.
However, DOs or overseas MDs do not get a lower pay for the same workload. Since almost all MDs and DOs make a 6-figure salary, you should be fine in the long run. However, you won't be "living large" until you're about 40 and it's a little too late to do the things with money that you would do in a heartbeat in the 20s and even the 30s (like buying fast cars and driving like a maniac).
Since specialists make more money and MDs have a higher percentage of specialists, I would guess that the average salary of an MD is likely higher than the average salary of a DO.
That's a meaningless statistic. You have to compare apples to apples. It's the particular specialties that have to be compared, not degree title, per-se, because that's how the primary payees (insurance companies and medicare) view their providers.
ou won't be "living large" until you're about 40 and it's a little too late to do the things with money that you would do in a heartbeat in the 20s and even the 30s (like buying fast cars and driving like a maniac).
Ok, you've convinced me. I guess I'll just buy that Mustang 4.6L with my financial aid money and start driving like a maniac. With any luck I'll be killed in a high-speed collision before the collection agency comes a-knocking.😎
(That's actually my all-purpose contingency plan)
Besides, anyone who is afraid of not "living large" until their 40's is forgetting that you're only as old as you feel, and hot 20-something chicks still go for (rich) guys in their 50's.
Originally posted by pafbdoc That's a meaningless statistic. You have to compare apples to apples. It's the particular specialties that have to be compared, not degree title, per-se, because that's how the primary payees (insurance companies and medicare) view their providers.