Physicians Salaries in Gaithersburg, MD
Average Base Pay
$179,004/yr
23% above national average
Monthly
$14,917
Hourly
$86
Cost Index
118
Physicians in Gaithersburg, MD earn an average of $179,004 per year, with most salaries falling between $143,203 and $214,805 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 23% above the national average, Gaithersburg ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 118. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Gaithersburg.
Salary Range
The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.
Low
Median
High
About Physicians
Physicians diagnose and treat illnesses, injuries, and medical conditions across a wide range of specialties. General practitioners and family medicine physicians manage undifferentiated health problems and chronic conditions for patients of all ages, serving as the primary point of care and coordinating specialist referrals. Internists focus on adult medicine and often subspecialize in areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, oncology, or pulmonology. Surgeons perform operative procedures to treat conditions ranging from appendicitis and cancer to orthopedic injuries and heart disease. Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental health conditions using medication management and psychotherapy. Emergency physicians manage acute and life-threatening conditions in high-acuity settings. Pediatricians care for infants, children, and adolescents. Pathologists diagnose disease through laboratory analysis of tissue, blood, and other specimens. Radiologists interpret medical imaging studies. The educational pathway requires four years of medical school following a bachelor's degree, three to seven years of residency training, and often additional fellowship training in a subspecialty. Physicians are licensed by state medical boards and must maintain board certification through continuous medical education and periodic examinations.
What Physicians Do
- Obtain patient history and perform physical examinations
- Diagnose conditions based on clinical findings and diagnostic test results
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans
- Prescribe medications and therapies
- Order and interpret diagnostic tests including laboratory studies and imaging
- Perform procedures appropriate to specialty
- Coordinate care with specialists, nurses, and allied health professionals
- Maintain accurate medical records and complete documentation
Key Skills & Qualifications
- Clinical assessment and diagnostic reasoning
- Medical knowledge across pathophysiology, pharmacology, and treatment
- Procedure-specific technical skills relevant to specialty
- Patient communication and shared decision-making
- Interpretation of laboratory and radiographic data
- Electronic health record documentation
- MD or DO degree, residency completion, and board certification
- Medical licensure in state(s) of practice
Career Path
- Medical Student
- Resident Physician
- Attending Physician
- Subspecialty Fellow
- Department Chief / Medical Director
Physicians Market in Gaithersburg, MD
Salary Competitiveness
Gaithersburg is one of the stronger-paying markets for Physicians, with local salaries running approximately 23% above the national median. This premium typically reflects a combination of higher employer competition, concentrated industry presence, and elevated cost expectations built into local compensation norms.
Cost of Living Impact
The cost of living in Gaithersburg is well above the national average, and essential monthly expenses consume roughly 28% of take-home pay for this role. That compression means a higher gross salary buys less financial breathing room than the headline number suggests—particularly for housing, which tends to dominate the budget in high-cost markets.
Effective Purchasing Power
After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Physicians earning $179,004 in Gaithersburg reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.
vs. National Avg
+23%
Cost Pressure
28%
Purchasing Power
Strong
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.
Annual Net
$130,673
Monthly
$10,889
Weekly
$2,513
Eff. Tax Rate
27%
A gross salary of $179,004 for a Physicians in Gaithersburg translates to roughly $10,889 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $3,056—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $7,833 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Gaithersburg's current market.
How far does this salary go in Gaithersburg?
Cost of Living in Gaithersburg
Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Gaithersburg, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.
Cost Index
118
Above Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).
Financial Reality Check
This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Gaithersburg to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.
Monthly Take-Home
$10,889
Living Costs
$3,056
Disposable
$7,833
Cost Index
118
Lifestyle
Comfortable
With a monthly take-home of $10,889, your estimated living costs in Gaithersburg are $3,056 ($36,672/yr). This leaves $7,833 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Gaithersburg's cost of living is 18% above the national average.
Overall, a Physicians earning $179,004 in Gaithersburg falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 118, Gaithersburg is 18% more expensive than the national average, which compresses real purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Gaithersburg continue to evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare Instantly
See how Physicians salary in Gaithersburg stacks up against other cities.
- vs. Detroit, MI
$72,370/yr$106,634
vs Gaithersburg - vs. Kansas City, MO
$76,310/yr$102,694
vs Gaithersburg - vs. San Mateo, CA
$77,840/yr$101,164
vs Gaithersburg - vs. Sunnyvale, CA
$77,840/yr$101,164
vs Gaithersburg
Full breakdown: cost of living, net pay, lifestyle score
Compare Cities
Same role, different locations
Related Jobs in Gaithersburg
Other roles in the same area
City Rankings for Physicians
Share this salary
Gross Salary
$179,004/yr
Take-home
$10,889/mo
Disposable
$7,833/mo
Lifestyle
Comfortable
Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data
Gaithersburg City Overview
COL index, rent benchmarks, top jobs, and affordability score.
Explore Gaithersburg →Explore More Salary Data
Related pages — all links are live salary pages
Physicians in Other Cities
- Bend, OR$169,311
- Garden Grove, CA$77,840
- Wilmington, DE$159,617
- Naples, FL$182,881
- Baltimore, MD$179,004
- Lynn, MA$212,030
- Albany, NY$163,495
- Chico, CA$152,832
- Chicago, IL$215,680
- Muskegon, MI$140,231
- Enterprise, NV$157,679
- Glendale, CA$77,840
- Torrance, CA$77,840
- Hoover, AL$144,108
- Augusta, GA$139,261
- Centennial, CO$166,403
- Carlsbad, CA$77,840
- Sioux Falls, SD$140,231
- Omaha, NE$141,200
- Thousand Oaks, CA$77,840
Other Jobs in Gaithersburg
- Atmospheric$119,799
- Bakers$40,227
- Audio And Video Technicians$59,749
- Computer Occupations$120,690
- Firstline Supervisors Of Police And Detectives$129,172
- Cardiovascular Technologists And Technicians$80,870
- Credit Counselors$61,305
- Social And Human Service Assistants$49,271
- Aerospace Engineers$147,348
- Athletic Trainers$71,175
- Bill And Account Collectors$53,613
- Bailiffs$69,945
- Artists And Related Workers$68,187
- Aircraft Structure$69,046
- Firstline Supervisors Of Food Preparation And Serving Workers$47,000
- Lifeguards$36,144
- Computer User Support Specialists$67,396
- Database Architects$153,852
- Bartenders$36,376
- Editors$75,008
Top Salary Comparisons
vs. Gaithersburg
- Kansas City, MO-$102,694
- Detroit, MI-$106,634
- Anaheim, CA-$101,164
- Fullerton, CA-$101,164
- Simi Valley, CA-$101,164
- Burbank, CA-$101,164
- Fremont, CA-$101,164
- Huntington Beach, CA-$101,164
- Santa Clarita, CA-$101,164
- Pasadena, CA-$101,164
Highest-Paying Markets
Cities where Physicians pays most
- Columbus, OH$231,590
- Cleveland, OH$217,540
- New York, NY$216,420
- Chicago, IL$215,680
- Cambridge, MA$212,030
- Newton, MA$212,030
- Boston, MA$212,030
- Somerville, MA$212,030
Most Affordable Markets
Cities with lowest cost of living
- Toledo, OH$130,537
- Brownsville, TX$130,537
- Mcallen, TX$147,985
- Topeka, KS$130,537
- Gulfport, MS$136,353
- Wichita Falls, TX$131,507
- Canton, OH$131,507
- Laredo, TX$132,476
Salary estimates are based on BLS metro data and adjusted using cost-of-living indices.