Pathologist Salary Guide

The average annual pathologist salary is $252,850 per year in the U.S., according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, pathologists make a total of $339,000 per year, according to Medscape’s 2023 pathologist compensation report. 

Locum tenens pathologists can make up to $200 per hour on average, however, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate that rate over a year (at 40 hours per week), the average locum salary comes out to around $416,000.

That means locum tenens pathologists can make about 22% more than the average provider. However, making direct salary comparisons can be complicated. While perm pathologists are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens pathologists are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year. 

Furthermore, because locum tenens pathologists are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried pathologist’s additional hours may not be reflected in their salary.

Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm pathologists salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance. 

The most recent state breakdown of pathologist  salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the BLS was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states. That said, the top 5 highest paying states for pathologist salary are:

• Arizona
• Missouri 
• Minnesota 
• Indiana 
• Arkansas

Pathologists are in the middle of the 30+ physician specialties surveyed in the Medscape 2023 compensation report. The top five specialties (plastic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, gastroenterology) all reported annual income of greater than $500,000.

Pathologist salaries have been increasing over the last several years, with about a 27% increase in reported salary since 2015. In 2023, pathologists salary decreased 2% from the previous year. Based on this data, it is reasonable to say that pathologists will increase their salaries in 2024, meaning that pathologists will make around $345,780 in annual salary in 2024.