Academic Ophthalmology Physician Financial Compensation in the United States: Trends and Distribution by Rank, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Geography

Background: Despite diversity efforts, under-representation and compensation inequities persist in academic ophthalmology. Purpose: To investigate the trends and distribution of academic ophthalmology physician financial compensation in the United States and compare them by rank, sex, race/ethnicity of faculty, and geographic location of programs. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study of the compensation of full-time ophthalmology faculty with a medical doctorate or equivalent degree at U.S. medical schools from 2017 to 2023. This national study uses data from the AAMC Faculty Salary Report. The main outcome measure was total compensation. Total compensation was analyzed by faculty rank (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, chair, chief) and demographic factors. Results: Overall, academic ophthalmology faculty compensation increased an average of 2.65% to 3.37% from 2017 to 2023. Female faculty had consistently lower median compensation than males across all ranks, with the disparity widening for chairs. Black faculty had lower median compensation than White faculty across all reported ranks. Hispanic-Latino faculty of assistant professor and professor rank had an 8% and 12% lower median compensation, respectively, compared with White faculty with the same rank. However, Hispanic-Latino faculty of associate professor ranking had a 3% higher median compensation compared with White faculty of the same rank. Asian faculty had a lower median compensation than White faculty at the instructor, assistant, and associate professor ranks but greater median compensation at full professor, section chief, and chair ranks. Faculty in the Central United States had the highest median compensation for all professor ranks. Conclusions: Overall, annual salary increases failed to keep pace with national inflation. Moreover, there continued to be disparities in compensation between male and female faculty of the same rank, as well as between Black and White faculty of the same rank. This study emphasizes the value of monitoring salary trends over time to ensure fair and adequate compensation for ophthalmologists. It also elucidates persistent salary inequities between groups that should be addressed as part of the broader effort to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within ophthalmology.