Career comparison
Family Medicine Physician vs. Internist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Internists earn more at the median ($256,560 vs. $244,180), while family medicine physicians usually get to work faster (11 years after high school of training). Family medicine physicians provide ongoing primary care to patients of all ages. Internists diagnose and manage illnesses in adults, in clinics and hospitals.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Family Medicine Physician | Internist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $244,180 ($117.39/hr) | $256,560 ($123.35/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $76,830 – $428,550 | $73,570 – $475,430 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.3% (about as fast as average) | +4.0% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 2,900 | 1,900 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 11 years after high school | 11 years after high school |
| Key credential | ABFM board certification | ABIM board certification |
| Work setting | Family physicians work in clinics, community health centers, hospitals and rural practices.. | Internists work in hospitals, outpatient clinics and academic medical centers.. |
What each job does
Family Medicine Physician
- Provide checkups and preventive care
- Diagnose and treat common illnesses
- Manage chronic diseases
- Perform minor procedures
- Order and interpret tests
Internist
- Diagnose adult illnesses
- Manage chronic conditions
- Care for hospitalized patients
- Order and interpret tests
- Coordinate specialist care
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, high-pay, indoor work, and high responsibility. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose family medicine physician if…
- I want long-term patient relationships
- I like variety
- I enjoy prevention
Choose internist if…
- I love diagnostic puzzles
- I want to care for adults
- I like hospital medicine
Still torn? Take the Family Medicine Physician fit quiz and the Internist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, family medicine physician or internist?
Internists earn more at the median: $256,560 versus $244,180 for family medicine physicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Family Medicine Physicians typically train faster (11 years after high school) than internists (11 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects internists to grow +4.0% from 2025–35, compared with +3.3% for family medicine physicians.