Loan repayment by specialty.
Your specialty determines your attending salary, residency length, and PSLF fit — all of which dramatically change your optimal repayment strategy. Pick yours below.
Internal Medicine
PSLF ✓ StrongAvg debt
$230K
Median salary
$310K
Salary range (25th–75th)
General Surgery
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$240K
Median salary
$477K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Family Medicine
PSLF ✓ StrongAvg debt
$225K
Median salary
$300K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Pediatrics
PSLF ✓ StrongAvg debt
$220K
Median salary
$250K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Emergency Medicine
PSLF ~ MixedAvg debt
$235K
Median salary
$410K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Psychiatry
PSLF ✓ StrongAvg debt
$230K
Median salary
$340K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Anesthesiology
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$235K
Median salary
$550K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Radiology
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$240K
Median salary
$660K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Orthopedic Surgery
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$245K
Median salary
$730K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Cardiology
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$235K
Median salary
$580K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Neurology
PSLF ~ MixedAvg debt
$230K
Median salary
$359K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Dermatology
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$235K
Median salary
$512K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Gastroenterology
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$235K
Median salary
$600K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Neurosurgery
PSLF ✗ WeakAvg debt
$245K
Median salary
$948K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Obstetrics & Gynecology
PSLF ~ MixedAvg debt
$230K
Median salary
$391K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Pathology
PSLF ~ MixedAvg debt
$225K
Median salary
$400K
Salary range (25th–75th)
Not sure which strategy fits?
Run the numbers for your specialty.
The calculator models PSLF, IDR, aggressive payoff, and refinancing side-by-side — with 16 specialty salary presets pre-loaded.