Compensation in cardiology now outpacing all other healthcare specialties
Physician compensation is rising faster in cardiology than any other specialty, according to a new report from Medscape.
The 2026 Medscape Physician Compensation Report included survey responses from nearly 6,000 U.S. physicians representing dozens of different specialties. Data were provided from September to December 2025, and all compensation figures represent what that physician earned in 2025. Data from that initial report were published back in April. Now, however, Medscape has expanded the findings for a new report specifically focused on the field of cardiology.
Cardiology comes out on top in terms of compensation change
Overall, U.S. cardiologists now earn an average annual income of $575,000. That represents a 10% increase compared to the previous year, when they earned an average annual income of $520,000. What’s new in this expanded report is the finding that no other specialty saw its compensation climb more in the last 12 months than cardiology. That 10% increase puts cardiology at the No. 1 ranking in terms of compensation change, followed by ophthalmology and radiology tied at No. 2 (9%) and emergency medicine, anesthesiology and orthopedics tied at No. 3 (8%).
On the other hand, seven different specialties saw their compensation decrease in the last year. That includes nephrology, pulmonary medicine and a handful of others.
“I'm a little surprised by the number of declines,” healthcare consultant Angie Caldwell, a principal with PYA Accountants and Advisors, said in the report. “This could also reflect having a high Medicare patient volume at a time when the Medicare conversion factor declined, plus pressure generally on reimbursement rates.”
Many cardiologists believe they are underpaid
While 52% of U.S. cardiologists believe they are fairly paid for their work, that leaves another 48% that feels differently. In addition, when asked in general if physicians are underpaid in the United States, 61% of cardiologists said they agree with that sentiment.
Incentive bonuses on the rise
Another key takeaway from this expanded report was the fact that the average incentive bonus for cardiologists is now $79,000. This is significantly higher than the average incentive bonus for all physicians, $48,000.
How are these bonuses determined? For cardiologists, RVUs appear to be the primary factor, but quality care metrics and patient satisfaction are also playing a major role.
The cardiologist shortage is still here
It is common knowledge by now that the U.S. is in the middle of a substantial cardiologist shortage. Patients are living longer, which means they require more care, and older cardiologists are retiring at a rapid rate. Burnout is also a growing issue in cardiology as well as many other specialties.
Do the positive developments in terms of compensation help make up for these challenges? Could they help encourage more medical students to consider a career in cardiology? Those are sure to be interesting conversations as time goes on.
Read the full 2026 Cardiologist Compensation Report here.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.