At first glance, it seems easy to determine that a medical doctor is paid much more than a lawyer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics gives median salaries for both doctors and lawyers, so it's clear that the doctors' number is higher.
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Originally Answered: Should I be a lawyer or a doctor? If that is the choice, a doctor. It is a long hard road, but your skills are pretty portable. People will respect you. As an attorney we as a country are turning out too many vs. too few physicians. Some lawyers can’t find jobs and will sue for anything….
However, while the BLS lists a general salary for lawyers, the pay for doctors and engineers varies greatly by specialty. As a general rule, doctors earn the highest salaries in the country. Anesthesiologists are the top earners with an annual mean wage of $232,800, while surgeons are in second place with $230,540.
On almost a daily basis, aspersions are cast over the legal sector. Lawyers are liars. They cannot be trusted. They are secretive and in constant fear of losing their jobs. Other than that work as an attorney can be hugely satisfying.
There are certainly a number of jobs that are tougher than being a lawyer (it's still a well-paying office job at the end of the day), but there's no profession where so many highly-educated people are incompatible with the job they're asked to perform, and it's this mismatch that breeds unhappiness. , Physician. Visual artist. Hybrid athlete.
According to the BLS, medical doctors which include both medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) earned an annual median salary of $208,000 per year in 2016. Lawyers, according to the BLS, had an annual median salary of $118,160 in 2016, a significant difference between them of $89,840.
However, on average, the data shows that doctors make more than lawyers. To the surprise of some, the reality is that the discrepancy is not even close. Specifically, the average doctor makes $208,000 per year, while the average lawyer makes $118,160.
it's definately a lot easier to get on a law degree than medicine. medicine is also a much longer degree and requires a more dedication (although to do well in law you obviously need to be really hardworking too).
A recent analysis (via KevinMD) of average IQs of individuals in certain professions revealed that doctors have a mean IQ of almost 10 points higher than lawyers.
That being said, someone who does well in the sciences will probably make a good doctor because the same traits will make you successful at either - a good memory, ability to focus, attention to detail, an analytical way of approaching problems. The road to becoming a doctor or lawyer is very long.
But that can be done with practice. It is, however ,a huge part of being a lawyer. So if you don't like it and will be miserable doing it, then don't be a lawyer.
In general, the average doctor is going to greatly out-earn the average attorney. However, if you manage to get a sweet gig was a chief legal officer for a major company, you will greatly out earn a highly-paid doctor. Or if you are on a legal team that wins a high profile product liability lawsuit.