UnisHub University Compass

Medicine: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Prepared for the independent practice of medicine, this rigorous academic pathway equips learners with the comprehensive knowledge and clinical expertise required to prevent, diagnose, and treat a broad spectrum of human health conditions. Grounded in scientific inquiry and patient-centered care, the program fosters the development of skilled, ethically grounded physicians capable of delivering high-quality medical services across diverse clinical settings.

  • Basic Medical Sciences: Foundational study of human anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pathology to understand the biological basis of health and disease.
  • Clinical Medicine: Application of medical knowledge in real-world patient care, emphasizing evidence-based decision-making and diagnostic reasoning.
  • Physical Examination and Diagnostic Techniques: Mastery of clinical skills for systematic patient assessment, including history-taking, physical exams, and interpretation of diagnostic tests.
  • Patient Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Development of effective, empathetic communication strategies to build trust, convey complex information, and support patient autonomy.
  • Medical Ethics and Law: Exploration of ethical dilemmas, patient rights, confidentiality, informed consent, and legal responsibilities within healthcare practice.
  • Professional Standards and Practice: Training in accountability, lifelong learning, quality improvement, and adherence to national and institutional medical guidelines.
  • Clinical Rotations in Core Specialties: Hands-on experience across key disciplines including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, neurology, ophthalmology, radiology, clinical pathology, anesthesiology, family medicine, and psychiatry.

Medicine Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

20,703
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
151
Universities & Colleges
17
Career Pathways

Medicine Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Medicine degrees, including Cardiologists, Surgeons, All Other and Pediatric Surgeons. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 778,470 professionals.


National Average Salaries

Occupation Median Salary Salary Range Total Employment Hourly Rate
Cardiologists 29-1212 $239,200 $119,970 - $239,200 18,020 $115.00
Surgeons, All Other 29-1249 $239,200 $77,290 - $239,200 24,080 $115.00
Pediatric Surgeons 29-1243 $239,200 $189,720 - $239,200 1,050 $115.00
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric 29-1242 $239,200 $83,390 - $239,200 14,160 $115.00
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric 29-1241 $239,200 $104,240 - $239,200 12,110 $115.00
Physicians, All Other 29-1229 $239,200 $66,860 - $239,200 315,360 $115.00
Radiologists 29-1224 $239,200 $82,810 - $239,200 26,290 $115.00
Psychiatrists 29-1223 $239,200 $77,360 - $239,200 24,800 $115.00
Physicians, Pathologists 29-1222 $239,200 $83,930 - $239,200 11,800 $115.00
Obstetricians and Gynecologists 29-1218 $239,200 $94,750 - $239,200 19,900 $115.00
Neurologists 29-1217 $239,200 $83,500 - $239,200 7,700 $115.00
Emergency Medicine Physicians 29-1214 $239,200 $114,680 - $239,200 33,680 $115.00
Dermatologists 29-1213 $239,200 $118,540 - $239,200 10,080 $115.00
Anesthesiologists 29-1211 $239,200 $124,450 - $239,200 41,890 $115.00
Family Medicine Physicians 29-1215 $238,380 $81,330 - $239,200 107,950 $114.61
General Internal Medicine Physicians 29-1216 $236,350 $70,100 - $239,200 66,640 $113.63
Pediatricians, General 29-1221 $210,130 $96,240 - $239,200 42,960 $101.03

Salary Comparison

Medicine Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $200,708 in Arkansas to $239,200 in Iowa—a 19% difference. The highest-paying states include Iowa, Idaho, and Montana. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 778,470 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.

Average Salary Range:

Top Universities for Medicine by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Medicine programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Medicine is found at Indiana University (IU Indianapolis), Indianapolis (349 graduates), Rutgers University, New Brunswick (317 graduates), University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) (266 graduates), Wayne State University (WSU) (258 graduates), and Thomas Jefferson University (257 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 16,854 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.

College Name Award Levels Graduates Admissions Location Control Website
Indiana University (IU Indianapolis)
Doctorate (P)
349 SAT: 1040-1230
ACT: 21-28
Indianapolis, Indiana Public indianapolis.iu.edu
Rutgers University
Doctorate (P)
317 SAT: 1270-1480
ACT: 28-33
New Brunswick, New Jersey Public newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
Doctorate (P)
266 SAT: 1120-1340
ACT: 25-32
Chicago, Illinois Public uic.edu
Wayne State University (WSU)
Doctorate (P)
258 SAT: 1040-1260
ACT: 21-28
Detroit, Michigan Public wayne.edu
Thomas Jefferson University
Doctorate (P)
257 SAT: 1150-1350
ACT: 27-32
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private jefferson.edu
Drexel University
Doctorate (P)
254 SAT: 1230-1430
ACT: 27-33
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private drexel.edu
University of Washington (UW)
Doctorate (P)
254 N/A Seattle, Washington Public washington.edu
Augusta University (AU)
Doctorate (P)
244 SAT: 1020-1230
ACT: 19-26
Augusta, Georgia Public augusta.edu
Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)
Doctorate (P)
236 N/A Milwaukee, Wisconsin Private mcw.edu
University of Minnesota (UMN)
Doctorate (P)
235 SAT: 1310-1480
ACT: 27-31
Minneapolis, Minnesota Public twin-cities.umn.edu
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Doctorate (P)
228 N/A Dallas, Texas Public utsouthwestern.edu
The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth)
Doctorate (P)
226 N/A Houston, Texas Public uth.edu
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
Doctorate (P)
219 N/A Galveston, Texas Public utmb.edu
Temple University
Doctorate (P)
214 N/A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Public temple.edu
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)
Doctorate (P)
210 SAT: 1430-1540
ACT: 32-35
Cleveland, Ohio Private case.edu
The University of Texas Health Science Center
Doctorate (P)
208 N/A San Antonio, Texas Public uthscsa.edu
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Doctorate (P)
206 N/A Brooklyn, New York Public downstate.edu
University of Arizona
Doctorate (P)
202 SAT: 1160-1420
ACT: 21-30
Tucson, Arizona Public arizona.edu
University of Miami (UM)
Doctorate (P)
201 SAT: 1330-1470
ACT: 30-33
Coral Gables, Florida Private miami.edu
University of Kansas (KU)
Doctorate (P)
200 SAT: 1050-1290
ACT: 21-27
Lawrence, Kansas Public ku.edu
University of Kentucky (UK)
Doctorate (P)
196 SAT: 1080-1290
ACT: 21-28
Lexington, Kentucky Public uky.edu
New York Medical College (NYMC)
Doctorate (P)
193 N/A Valhalla, New York Private nymc.edu
Tufts University
Doctorate (P)
187 SAT: 1460-1550
ACT: 33-35
Medford, Massachusetts Private tufts.edu
Ohio State University
Doctorate (P)
187 SAT: 1330-1480
ACT: 29-32
Columbus, Ohio Public osu.edu
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Doctorate (P)
187 N/A Bronx, New York Private einsteinmed.edu
University of South Carolina (USC)
Doctorate (P)
185 SAT: 1180-1380
ACT: 26-32
Columbia, South Carolina Public sc.edu
Harvard University
Doctorate (P)
182 SAT: 1500-1580
ACT: 34-36
Cambridge, Massachusetts Private harvard.edu
University of Michigan (U‑M)
Doctorate (P)
181 SAT: 1350-1530
ACT: 31-34
Ann Arbor, Michigan Public umich.edu
Michigan State University (MSU)
Doctorate (P)
181 SAT: 1150-1350
ACT: 26-31
East Lansing, Michigan Public msu.edu
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC-NO)
Doctorate (P)
180 N/A New Orleans, Louisiana Public lsuhsc.edu
Tulane University of Louisiana
Doctorate (P)
178 SAT: 1390-1510
ACT: 31-33
New Orleans, Louisiana Private tulane.edu
Texas A & M University
Doctorate (P)
178 SAT: 1140-1380
ACT: 25-31
College Station, Texas Public tamu.edu
University of South Florida (USF)
Doctorate (P)
177 SAT: 1140-1330
ACT: 24-29
Tampa, Florida Public usf.edu
University of Alabama (UAB)
Doctorate (P)
176 SAT: 1130-1400
ACT: 22-30
Birmingham, Alabama Public uab.edu
Georgetown University (GU)
Doctorate (P)
176 SAT: 1390-1550
ACT: 32-34
Washington, District of Columbia Private georgetown.edu
Saint Louis University (SLU)
Doctorate (P)
176 SAT: 1210-1430
ACT: 26-31
Saint Louis, Missouri Private slu.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Doctorate (P)
176 SAT: 1370-1530
ACT: 30-34
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Public unc.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Doctorate (P)
175 SAT: 1030-1270
ACT: 22-30
Richmond, Virginia Public vcu.edu
University of California (UCSF)
Doctorate (P)
173 N/A San Francisco, California Public ucsf.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Doctorate (P)
173 SAT: 1360-1510
ACT: 28-32
Madison, Wisconsin Public wisc.edu
Loma Linda University (LLU)
Doctorate (P)
172 N/A Loma Linda, California Private llu.edu
University of Southern California (USC)
Doctorate (P)
172 SAT: 1440-1550
ACT: 32-35
Los Angeles, California Private usc.edu
George Washington University (GW)
Doctorate (P)
172 SAT: 1350-1500
ACT: 31-34
Washington, District of Columbia Private gwu.edu
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
Doctorate (P)
170 N/A Little Rock, Arkansas Public uams.edu
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)
Doctorate (P)
170 N/A Houston, Texas Private bcm.edu
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)
Doctorate (P)
170 N/A Memphis, Tennessee Public uthsc.edu
University at Buffalo (UB)
Doctorate (P)
169 SAT: 1210-1380
ACT: 27-32
Buffalo, New York Public buffalo.edu
University of California (UCLA)
Doctorate (P)
168 N/A Los Angeles, California Public ucla.edu
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU)
Doctorate (P)
166 N/A North Chicago, Illinois Private rosalindfranklin.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)
Doctorate (P)
166 SAT: 1150-1360
ACT: 24-29
Cincinnati, Ohio Public uc.edu
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Doctorate (P)
165 N/A Worcester, Massachusetts Public umassmed.edu
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC)
Doctorate (P)
165 N/A Lubbock, Texas Public ttuhsc.edu
Creighton University
Doctorate (P)
164 SAT: 1210-1400
ACT: 24-30
Omaha, Nebraska Private creighton.edu
University of Toledo (UToledo)
Doctorate (P)
164 SAT: 1050-1300
ACT: 22-28
Toledo, Ohio Public utoledo.edu
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Doctorate (P)
155 SAT: 1020-1210
ACT: 21-29
University, Mississippi Public olemiss.edu
Boston University (BU)
Doctorate (P)
154 SAT: 1400-1520
ACT: 32-34
Boston, Massachusetts Private bu.edu
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Doctorate (P)
152 SAT: 980-1220
ACT: 21-27
Denver, Colorado Public ucdenver.edu
Loyola University Chicago (LUC)
Doctorate (P)
150 SAT: 1160-1340
ACT: 27-31
Chicago, Illinois Private luc.edu
University of Louisville (UofL)
Doctorate (P)
149 SAT: 1020-1250
ACT: 19-27
Louisville, Kentucky Public louisville.edu
Rush University
Doctorate (P)
148 N/A Chicago, Illinois Private rushu.rush.edu
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
Doctorate (P)
148 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 34-35
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private upenn.edu
University of Florida (UF)
Post-Master's
Doctorate (P)
147 SAT: 1300-1480
ACT: 28-33
Gainesville, Florida Public ufl.edu
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Doctorate (P)
147 N/A Charleston, South Carolina Public web.musc.edu
University of Oklahoma (OUHSC)
Doctorate (P)
146 N/A Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Public ouhsc.edu
University of Virginia (UVA)
Doctorate (P)
144 SAT: 1410-1530
ACT: 32-34
Charlottesville, Virginia Public virginia.edu
University of California (UCSD)
Doctorate (P)
143 N/A La Jolla, California Public ucsd.edu
University of Maryland (UMB)
Doctorate (P)
142 N/A Baltimore, Maryland Public umaryland.edu
Columbia University in the City of New York
Doctorate (P)
142 SAT: 1490-1570
ACT: 34-35
New York, New York Private columbia.edu
Upstate Medical University
Doctorate (P)
142 N/A Syracuse, New York Public upstate.edu
Northwestern University
Doctorate (P)
141 SAT: 1490-1560
ACT: 33-35
Evanston, Illinois Private northwestern.edu
Wake Forest University (WFC)
Doctorate (P)
141 SAT: 1390-1510
ACT: 32-34
Winston-Salem, North Carolina Private wfu.edu
University of Iowa
Doctorate (P)
140 SAT: 1130-1320
ACT: 22-28
Iowa City, Iowa Public uiowa.edu
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)
Doctorate (P)
140 N/A Omaha, Nebraska Public unmc.edu
Albany Medical College (AMC)
Doctorate (P)
135 N/A Albany, New York Private amc.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Doctorate (P)
135 SAT: 1220-1400
ACT: 27-32
University Park, Pennsylvania Public psu.edu
Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS)
Doctorate (P)
135 N/A Norfolk, Virginia Public evms.edu
Emory University
Doctorate (P)
134 SAT: 1460-1550
ACT: 32-34
Atlanta, Georgia Private emory.edu
New York University (NYU)
Doctorate (P)
134 SAT: 1480-1570
ACT: 33-35
New York, New York Private nyu.edu
Brown University
Doctorate (P)
134 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 34-35
Providence, Rhode Island Private brown.edu
Icahn School of Medicine (ISMMS)
Doctorate (P)
133 N/A New York, New York Private icahn.mssm.edu
Duke University
Doctorate (P)
133 SAT: 1510-1570
ACT: 34-35
Durham, North Carolina Private duke.edu
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC-S)
Doctorate (P)
133 N/A Shreveport, Louisiana Public lsuhs.edu
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
Doctorate (P)
132 N/A Portland, Oregon Public ohsu.edu
Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
Doctorate (P)
128 N/A Rootstown, Ohio Public neomed.edu
University of Pittsburgh
Doctorate (P)
126 SAT: 1270-1450
ACT: 29-33
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Public pitt.edu
Stony Brook University (SBU)
Doctorate (P)
124 SAT: 1320-1490
ACT: 28-33
Stony Brook, New York Public stonybrook.edu
University of Missouri (UMKC)
Doctorate (P)
120 SAT: 1150-1540
ACT: 21-29
Kansas City, Missouri Public umkc.edu
University of Vermont (UVM)
Doctorate (P)
120 SAT: 1250-1420
ACT: 29-32
Burlington, Vermont Public uvm.edu
University of Missouri (Mizzou)
Doctorate (P)
119 SAT: 1150-1330
ACT: 23-29
Columbia, Missouri Public missouri.edu
Oakland University (OU)
Doctorate (P)
117 SAT: 995-1185 Rochester Hills, Michigan Public oakland.edu
Wright State University
Doctorate (P)
117 SAT: 913-1230
ACT: 17-25
Dayton, Ohio Public wright.edu
University of Central Florida (UCF)
Doctorate (P)
116 SAT: 1190-1350
ACT: 25-29
Orlando, Florida Public ucf.edu
University of California (UCD)
Doctorate (P)
115 N/A Davis, California Public ucdavis.edu
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM)
Doctorate (P)
115 N/A Scranton, Pennsylvania Private geisinger.edu
Florida International University (FIU)
Doctorate (P)
114 SAT: 1060-1250
ACT: 20-26
Miami, Florida Public fiu.edu
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Doctorate (P)
114 N/A El Paso, Texas Public elpaso.ttuhsc.edu
California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM)
Doctorate (P)
113 N/A Colton, California Private cusm.org
Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
Doctorate (P)
112 SAT: 1530-1580
ACT: 34-35
Baltimore, Maryland Private jhu.edu
University of Utah (U of U)
Doctorate (P)
111 SAT: 1180-1398
ACT: 22-29
Salt Lake City, Utah Public utah.edu
Florida State University (FSU)
Doctorate (P)
110 SAT: 1240-1390
ACT: 27-31
Tallahassee, Florida Public fsu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Medicine programs

How much can I earn with a Medicine degree?

Salaries for Medicine graduates vary by role and location. Cardiologists earn a median of $239,200 annually, while Surgeons, All Other earn around $239,200. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Iowa average $239,200 compared to $200,708 in Arkansas. Approximately 778,470 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.

Which universities have the largest Medicine programs?

Currently 151 accredited institutions offer Medicine degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Indiana University (IU Indianapolis), Indianapolis (349 graduates), Rutgers University, New Brunswick (317 graduates), and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) (266 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.

Is enrollment in Medicine growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 16,714 in 2010 to 20,703 in 2023-24. This represents a 24% increase overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.

What career paths are available with a Medicine degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Cardiologists, Surgeons, All Other, and Pediatric Surgeons. Related occupations employ approximately 778,470 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.

Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.

Related Health Programs

Explore similar degree programs within the Health field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.

Health Unit Management

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of nursing or medical service administrators, to supervise and coordinate the operations of one or...

38 graduates (2023-2024)
4 schools offer this
View Program

Medical Office Administration

A program that prepares individuals to manage the specialized business functions of a medical or clinical office. Includes instruction in business office operations,...

2,900 graduates (2023-2024)
121 schools offer this
View Program

Health Information Administration

A program that prepares individuals to plan, design, and manage systems, processes, and facilities used to collect, store, secure, retrieve, analyze, and transmit...

2,781 graduates (2023-2024)
131 schools offer this
View Program

Health Information Technology

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of health information administrators and other professionals, to construct medical records and clinical databases, perform...

11,828 graduates (2023-2024)
333 schools offer this
View Program

Medical Transcription

A program that prepares individuals to execute verbatim medical conference minutes, medical reports, and medical orders. Includes instruction in dictation and simultaneous recording,...

56 graduates (2023-2024)
11 schools offer this
View Program

Medical Office Computer Specialist

A program that prepares individuals to apply computer programming, troubleshooting, and information technology skills to the installation, maintenance, and upgrade of standard, customized,...

117 graduates (2023-2024)
5 schools offer this
View Program
Found this helpful? Share it!

Found something useful? Help others discover it too! Share with friends, on social media, or save for later - every share helps someone find the information they need.