More than 100,000 shekels per month: The wage gaps between doctors are exposed

Six-fold wage gaps between doctors, differences of tens of thousands of shekels between fields of specialization, and a significant incentive for working in the periphery — the new wage report from the Commissioner of Wages and Labor Agreements at the Ministry of Finance reveals the wage map in Israel's public health system for the years 2023-2024.

The most prominent gap is recorded between doctors belonging to different deciles: the average salary of doctors in the top decile in hospitals stands at about 104,700 shekels per month, compared to only about 17,300 shekels in the bottom decile — a six-fold gap. The gaps are not only due to seniority or workload, but also to the field of specialization and the place of work.

Thus, for example, the average salary of gynecologists stands at 78,603 shekels per month, compared to 42,663 shekels among psychiatrists. The Wage Division notes that the salary data for psychiatrists does not yet reflect the significant improvement achieved for them as part of the latest doctors' agreement, signed in September 2024. The impact of the agreement is expected to be reflected in the wage report for the years 2025-2026.

More on-call shifts

The place where the doctor works also has great economic significance. According to the report, the salary of medical specialists in the periphery is about 33% higher than the salary of medical specialists in the center. The Ministry of Finance notes that one of the reasons for this is the higher volume of on-call shifts performed by doctors in the periphery. This is one of the mechanisms through which the health system tries to attract and retain medical personnel in areas where there is a shortage.

The wage gaps also integrate with differences in workload. The number of on-call shifts performed by resident doctors is on a downward trend, and in 2025 a resident performed an average of five shifts per month. However, here too there are large differences between specialties: a resident in general surgery performed an average of 5.4 shifts per month, compared to only 2.2 shifts among residents in dermatology and venereology.

The Ministry of Finance's report analyzes the salary data of more than 120,000 employees in hospitals and HMOs, out of the public health system where about 134,000 employees are employed. This is a broad picture that includes for the first time data by profession, rank, geographical area, specialization, and career stage.

In hospitals, the average salary per position stands at 22,560 shekels per month, while the median salary stands at 18,804 shekels. About 71% of employees earn on average more than 15,000 shekels per month.

In HMOs in the community, the average salary per position is slightly higher and stands at 23,326 shekels, but the median salary is lower — 16,971 shekels. About 62% of employees in the community earn on average more than 15,000 shekels per month.

Veterans benefit

The report also points to a significant increase in the salaries of employees who remain in the system. Among hospital employees with 10 years of seniority, the average salary has increased over the last decade by 42%, and in certain ranks the increase reached about 60%.

Alongside the salary data, the report highlights one of the main challenges facing the health system in the coming years — the aging of medical personnel. 24% of medical specialists in hospitals are approaching retirement age. In pediatric surgery, the rate is even higher and reaches 36%.