Pay, location & work-life context
Pulmonology Salary Map by State (2026)
Median pulmonology pay across 8 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $350,000.
Highest median
Ohio
$587,500
Best real purchasing power
Ohio
$633,259 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Illinois
5.8/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Pulmonology pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $587,500 | $633,259 | $611,095 | 3.4/10 | 7 |
| Virginia | $443,113 | $438,274 | $413,074 | 4.8/10 | 5 |
| Illinois | $413,062 | $413,236 | $392,780 | 5.8/10 | 8 |
| Colorado | $384,800 | $373,404 | $356,974 | 5.1/10 | 12 |
| California | $365,000 | $329,660 | $299,002 | 4.0/10 | 11 |
| New Jersey | $335,000 | $307,890 | $288,278 | 3.9/10 | 12 |
| Massachusetts | $300,000 | $283,669 | $269,486 | 4.0/10 | 10 |
| New York | $275,000 | $254,816 | $237,361 | 4.2/10 | 15 |
Common questions
Which state pays pulmonology physicians the most?
Ohio currently has the highest median pulmonology salary at $587,500, based on 7 real job listings.
Which state offers the best after-tax pulmonology pay?
Ohio currently leads the take-home view at $611,095 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust pulmonology salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best pulmonology lifestyle scores?
Illinois currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (5.8/10, higher is better) for pulmonology listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Pulmonology salary page.