Periphery Doctors Earn 33% More Than Central Israel Colleagues, Report Finds

A new salary report from Israel's Ministry of Finance reveals that specialist doctors working in the country's periphery earn approximately 33% more than their counterparts in central Israel. This pay gap is attributed, in part, to the higher number of on-call shifts required in peripheral areas. The report, which analyzed the salaries of about 120,000 healthcare workers, also indicated a downward trend in the number of shifts for resident doctors, averaging five per month in 2025. However, significant variations exist between specialties, with general surgery residents averaging 5.4 shifts monthly compared to 2.2 for dermatology residents.

The report highlights demographic concerns within the medical workforce, noting that 24% of specialist hospital doctors are nearing retirement age, a figure rising to 36% in pediatric surgery. The Ministry of Finance emphasized the need for national workforce planning, increased physician training, and targeted incentives for areas and specialties facing shortages.

Overall average monthly salaries in 2025 for a full-time position were NIS 22,560 in hospitals and NIS 23,326 in community clinics. Approximately 71% of hospital workers and 62% of community clinic workers earned over NIS 15,000 monthly. Specialist doctors in hospitals earned an average of NIS 45,290, while residents earned NIS 23,905. In community settings, specialist doctors averaged NIS 56,075 and residents NIS 27,275.

Nurses constitute about 35% of public healthcare employees. The report also detailed salary disparities based on gender, with women in hospitals earning about 19% less than men, and in community settings, the gap widens to 40%. These differences are largely due to variations in additional work hours, though professional roles also contribute. Significant salary gaps were also observed among specialist doctors, with the top 10% earning around NIS 104,700 monthly, compared to NIS 17,300 for the bottom 10%.

The Ministry of Finance stressed the importance of strengthening mental health services and allocating resources to underserved areas and specialties. While salary gaps between general, geriatric, and psychiatric hospitals have narrowed, the ministry called for continued investment in mental healthcare. The head of the Salary and Agreements Department, Efi Malkin, stated that approximately NIS 3 billion annually has been invested in healthcare worker salaries in recent years, with further investments planned to address shortages and improve working conditions.