Israeli Doctors' Salaries Reveal Wide Disparities, Ministry of Finance Report Finds

A comprehensive report by Israel's Ministry of Finance, analyzing the salaries of over 120,000 healthcare workers, has revealed significant pay gaps among doctors, even those with the same rank. The report, published on Thursday, September 3, highlighted disparities based on location, gender, and medical specialty.

In 2024, the average monthly salary for a doctor in hospitals was approximately 22,560 shekels, while those in HMO clinics earned an average of 23,326 shekels. Around 70% of hospital doctors and 60% of clinic doctors earn over 15,000 shekels monthly, with more than a quarter earning over 25,000 shekels.

The report detailed a systemic pay gap, noting that the top 10% of specialists in HMO clinics earn over 103,000 shekels on average, while the bottom 10% earn around 18,800 shekels. Hospital salaries varied by specialty, with geriatricians earning the most (average 46,958 shekels) and pediatricians and ophthalmologists earning the least (around 31,813-31,903 shekels). In contrast, gynecologists in HMO clinics led with an average of 78,603 shekels, significantly more than psychiatrists (42,663 shekels).

These high earnings in certain specialties, like gynecology and ophthalmology within HMOs, are attributed to a substantial portion of work being conducted in private structures or HMOs, rather than hospitals. Department heads in intensive care units also command high salaries, with heads of pediatric intensive care, general intensive care, and anesthesiology earning between 80,520 and 86,911 shekels on average.

Doctors in peripheral areas like Safed, Tiberias, and Eilat, following a recent salary agreement, earn more on average than their counterparts in central Israel. This gap widens with seniority, reaching 43% for department heads compared to about 17% for junior specialists. Incentives introduced in 2011 for peripheral doctors had limited impact, according to a 2021 internal ministry study.

A significant portion of doctors' real income, approximately 31% for specialists, comes from "medical corporations", separate legal entities often established by hospitals to hire doctors for additional work outside standard hours. The top 10% of doctors, when factoring in this additional income, earn over 102,000 shekels monthly.

Gender pay gaps persist: women, who constitute about 65% of hospital doctors and 76% of clinic doctors, earn approximately 19% less than men in full-time positions at hospitals and 40% less at clinics. This disparity is largely due to men receiving 20% more on average for additional work, as they more frequently hold leadership roles with greater on-call quotas.

Notably, nurses and male nurses saw the most significant salary growth over the past decade, with a 59% increase, compared to 58% for doctors. The report also raises demographic concerns, with 24% of hospital specialists nearing retirement age, a figure rising to 35-47% in specialties like clinical pharmacology, palliative medicine, and pediatric surgery, potentially exacerbating existing doctor shortages.

Efi Malkin, head of the Ministry of Finance's salary and labor agreements department, acknowledged significant annual investments in healthcare salaries (around 3 billion shekels) but stressed that the report highlights "gaps, challenges, and national needs" requiring a more precise salary policy and resource reallocation to areas like psychiatry, peripheral regions, and specialties facing shortages.