The level of education required to become a doctor in the United States necessitates an investment of both time and money. After 8 years of undergraduate and postgraduate studies, 75% of medical school graduates in 2018 are carrying student loan debt. And half of those in debt owe $200,000 or more.
Even though physicians are among the highest paid professionals in the labor force, paying off that much debt is no small task. As the average compensation of general practitioners varies by state, where medical school graduates choose to practice can affect how long it will take them to pay off their student debt.
As in other professions, for doctors, compensation is just one of many factors to consider when deciding where to work. Hospitals across the country are not necessarily equally desirable work environments. As determined by measures such as average emergency room wait times, readmission rates, and mortality rates, the efficacy and efficiency of hospitals varies considerably across the country.
To identify the best and worst states for doctors, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed several measures meant to guage of the quality of the system in which doctors work. We included in our analysis the average salary of general practitioners as a proxy for salaries of physicians as a broad group. In addition to general practitioner salary, our index includes average emergency room wait time, the share of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of treatment — often an indication of hospital error — and the share of patients who die of certain conditions within 30 days of treatment. States are ranked from best to worst.
Click here to see the best and worst states for doctors.
Click here to read our methodology.
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50. Maryland
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $209,420 (25th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 53 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: N/A
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: N/A
See all stories featuring: Maryland
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49. New Mexico
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $160,780 (the lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.3% (19th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.6% (14th highest)
See all stories featuring: New Mexico
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48. Missouri
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $172,940 (2nd lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 20 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.9% (11th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.1% (23rd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Missouri
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47. Rhode Island
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $178,230 (3rd lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 31 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.9% (12th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.4% (7th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Rhode Island
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46. New York
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $186,460 (4th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 21 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.3% (3rd highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.6% (10th lowest)
See all stories featuring: New York
Source: Thomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com) / Wikimedia Commons
45. Tennessee
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $188,550 (5th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 17 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.8% (14th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.6% (17th highest)
See all stories featuring: Tennessee
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44. Georgia
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $189,980 (7th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 26 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (21st highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.2% (25th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Georgia
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43. Nevada
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $197,500 (13th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 15 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.0% (9th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.9% (7th highest)
See all stories featuring: Nevada
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42. Michigan
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $191,260 (9th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 19 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.3% (5th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.3% (4th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Michigan
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41. Vermont
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $197,120 (12th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.4% (22nd lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.5% (19th highest)
See all stories featuring: Vermont
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40. North Carolina
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $201,500 (18th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 26 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.3% (20th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.6% (15th highest)
See all stories featuring: North Carolina
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39. Delaware
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $190,020 (8th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 35 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (24th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 11.7% (2nd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Delaware
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38. Arkansas
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $222,460 (12th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.1% (6th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 14.3% (the highest)
See all stories featuring: Arkansas
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37. Mississippi
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $218,640 (19th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.4% (2nd highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.6% (18th highest)
See all stories featuring: Mississippi
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36. California
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $196,180 (11th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (23rd highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.9% (18th lowest)
See all stories featuring: California
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35. Alabama
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $208,400 (23rd lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 26 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (22nd highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.4% (20th highest)
See all stories featuring: Alabama
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34. Maine
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $198,210 (15th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.1% (14th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.3% (24th highest)
See all stories featuring: Maine
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33. Connecticut
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $203,640 (19th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 25 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.0% (8th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.5% (8th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Connecticut
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32. West Virginia
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $204,280 (20th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.0% (10th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.6% (11th lowest)
See all stories featuring: West Virginia
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31. Montana
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $189,490 (6th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 15 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.6% (4th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.7% (13th highest)
See all stories featuring: Montana
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30. Hawaii
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $194,760 (10th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 20 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.3% (the lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 14.0% (4th highest)
See all stories featuring: Hawaii
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29. Arizona
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $198,530 (17th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 26 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.1% (13th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.8% (16th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Arizona
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28. Virginia
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $205,920 (22nd lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 18 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.8% (15th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.1% (22nd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Virginia
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27. Oregon
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $213,840 (25th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 27 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.1% (12th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.9% (5th highest)
See all stories featuring: Oregon
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26. Indiana
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $198,080 (14th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 17 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.3% (18th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.9% (19th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Indiana
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25. Kentucky
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $214,830 (24th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 22 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.9% (13th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.1% (21st lowest)
See all stories featuring: Kentucky
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24. Florida
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $215,300 (23rd highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 19 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.3% (4th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.7% (12th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Florida
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23. Ohio
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $198,230 (16th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 16 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (20th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.3% (5th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Ohio
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22. Texas
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $204,660 (21st lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 20 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.4% (21st lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.7% (13th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Texas
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21. New Jersey
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $216,880 (21st highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 25 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.1% (7th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.3% (3rd lowest)
See all stories featuring: New Jersey
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20. Wyoming
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $219,690 (16th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 16 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (25th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.8% (9th highest)
See all stories featuring: Wyoming
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19. Massachusetts
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $224,710 (9th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 35 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 16.4% (the highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 11.7% (the lowest)
See all stories featuring: Massachusetts
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18. Utah
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $208,640 (24th lowest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 13 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.6% (6th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 14.1% (2nd highest)
See all stories featuring: Utah
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17. Pennsylvania
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $216,800 (22nd highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 21 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.7% (16th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.8% (14th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania
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16. Illinois
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $220,290 (15th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 23 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.7% (17th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.5% (9th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Illinois
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15. Alaska
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $223,090 (11th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 27 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.5% (3rd lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.9% (6th highest)
See all stories featuring: Alaska
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14. Louisiana
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $218,480 (20th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 19 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (18th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.8% (15th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Louisiana
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13. South Carolina
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $234,420 (4th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 29 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.4% (24th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.4% (21st highest)
See all stories featuring: South Carolina
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12. Oklahoma
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $223,760 (10th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 17 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.4% (23rd lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.4% (22nd highest)
See all stories featuring: Oklahoma
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11. North Dakota
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $224,820 (8th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 17 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.1% (11th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.8% (11th highest)
See all stories featuring: North Dakota
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10. Washington
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $230,330 (5th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 24 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.8% (8th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 14.0% (3rd highest)
See all stories featuring: Washington
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9. Kansas
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $227,140 (6th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 16 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.3% (17th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.6% (16th highest)
See all stories featuring: Kansas
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8. Nebraska
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $227,020 (7th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 19 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.0% (10th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.7% (12th highest)
See all stories featuring: Nebraska
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7. Minnesota
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $219,360 (17th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 18 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.2% (16th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.8% (17th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Minnesota
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6. Idaho
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $220,550 (14th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 18 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.5% (2nd lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.8% (10th highest)
See all stories featuring: Idaho
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5. Colorado
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $222,240 (13th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 13 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.7% (7th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.4% (23rd highest)
See all stories featuring: Colorado
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4. Iowa
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $241,760 (3rd highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 19 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.2% (15th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.8% (8th highest)
See all stories featuring: Iowa
Source: Sdgjake / Wikimedia Commons
3. South Dakota
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $218,810 (18th highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 14 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.6% (5th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.0% (20th lowest)
See all stories featuring: South Dakota
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2. Wisconsin
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $242,340 (2nd highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 16 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 14.9% (9th lowest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 13.1% (24th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Wisconsin
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1. New Hampshire
> Avg. general practitioner salary: $258,670 (the highest)
> Avg. ER wait time: 25 minutes
> Hospital patients readmitted in under 30 days: 15.5% (19th highest)
> Avg. hospital mortality rate: 12.3% (6th lowest)
See all stories featuring: New Hampshire
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