2026 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives
2026 Recruiting Incentives: Key Trends and Insights
A projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036 has intensified competition for clinical talent, pushing salaries and incentive packages higher across nearly every specialty. Our 33rd annual Review gives your organization the benchmarks needed to recruit competitively while protecting your budget.
Based on a representative sample of the 1,293 permanent physician and advanced practitioner search engagements conducted by AMN Healthcare, this report analyzes the starting salaries, bonuses, and incentives organizations use to attract physicians and advanced practice professionals (APPs).
Key Takeaways
- Starting Salaries by Specialty: Gastroenterology leads with the highest average starting salary at $654,000, while the average across all physicians reached $419,000. Compare specialty-level benchmarks to structure competitive, cost-conscious offers.
- Incentive Trends: Signing bonuses appeared in 87% of engagements, with the physician average climbing to $49,306, up from $38,215 the prior year. Understand where these dollars deliver the greatest recruiting impact.
- Provider Demand: Identify specialties in high demand, like nurse practitioners (NPs), anesthesiologists, and OB/GYNs to guide your recruiting focus. For the sixth consecutive year, nurse practitioners (NPs) topped the list of most requested search engagements.
- Compensation Models: Discover the prevalence of salary-plus-production-bonus contracts versus straight salaries—including the metrics driving these models.
Make smarter, faster hiring decisions with this year's essential report for healthcare workforce planning.
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