by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 188 U.S. colleges awarded 30,805 degrees and certificates in Medicine. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 100% of graduates. College Factual ranks 176 schools in its 2027 Best Medicine Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $65,028 one year after completing, rising to $118,073 after four years.
Studying Medicine involves the study of Medicine.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, medicine is a widely-pursued major, with 30,805 degrees awarded annually. 188 colleges award medicine degrees, an average of 164 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 642.
By level, the 30,805 awards include 52 master’s degrees and 30,753 doctorates.
Women earned 55% of medicine degrees and certificates in the latest year (16,817 of 30,805). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (14,828) and Asian (7,369), and international students earned 388.
College Factual ranks 176 schools in its 2027 Best Medicine Schools ranking, including 174 for doctorates. It also ranks medicine schools within 46 states. In all, 188 colleges offer medicine programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Medicine Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common medicine credential is the doctorate: 30,753 of the 30,805 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to medicine call most for Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Medicine and Dentistry, Biology and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Inductive Reasoning and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a medicine degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 52 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 30,753 |
Post-doctoral training is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to medicine, at 57.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-doctoral training | 57.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 34.3% |
| First professional degree | 3.9% |
| Master’s degree | 1.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
24 occupations are related to Medicine, with an average median salary of $100,642; the strongest outlook belongs to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians, at 14.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Physician, DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician), Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor.
The occupation related to medicine with the most projected jobs is Podiatrists, at 3,175,434.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Podiatrists | 3,175,434 | 11.4% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 3,097,559 | 4.7% |
| Hospitalists | 3,061,067 | 0.8% |
| Urologists | 3,002,712 | 0.5% |
| Pediatricians, General | 2,951,941 | -1.8% |
| Anesthesiologists | 2,909,070 | 10.1% |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 2,867,654 | 11.0% |
| Cardiologists | 2,755,056 | 3.8% |
Medicine graduates earn a median $65,028 one year after completing their program, $118,073 after four years and $171,914 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,028 |
| 4 years | $118,073 |
| 5 years | $171,914 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to medicine is Neurologists, with a median salary of $159,086.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Neurologists | $159,086 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $157,243 |
| Podiatrists | $141,542 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $126,544 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $120,724 |
| Urologists | $119,720 |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians | $117,397 |
| Sports Medicine Physicians | $115,792 |
Medicine includes 3 concentrations that together award 30,805 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Medicine (21,453), Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy (8,814) and Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry (538). It has 30 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 1,006,655 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (318,053), Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (110,132) and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (98,474). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 21,453 |
| Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy | 8,814 |
| Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry | 538 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
