Doctor Salary in Vietnam: How Much Do Doctors Earn?

Doctor salaries in Vietnam vary widely. A doctor working in a public hospital under the government salary system may have a relatively modest official base salary, while an experienced specialist in a private hospital or clinic can earn substantially more.

There is therefore no single meaningful figure for the average doctor salary in Vietnam. Income depends on whether the doctor works in the public or private sector, professional grade, experience, specialty, location, allowances, bonuses and additional clinical work.

For someone trying to understand healthcare careers or the economics of medical practice in Vietnam, the clearest place to start is with the public-sector salary framework and then compare it with current private-sector job advertisements.

How much do doctors earn in Vietnam?

In Vietnam's public healthcare system, doctors are paid according to professional salary grades and a government base salary.

From 1 July 2026, the statutory base salary used for public employees is VND 2.53 million per month, under Decree 161/2026/ND-CP.

The basic formula is:

Monthly salary = statutory base salary x salary coefficient

For doctors in public healthcare facilities, the resulting official salary ranges are approximately:

• Doctor, Grade III: VND 5.92 million to VND 12.60 million per month
• Principal doctor, Grade II: VND 11.13 million to VND 17.15 million per month
• Senior doctor, Grade I: VND 15.69 million to VND 20.24 million per month

These figures are base salaries calculated under the public salary system. They do not necessarily represent a doctor's complete monthly income because allowances, bonuses, duty payments and other payments may be added.

Private-sector salaries operate differently and can be considerably higher.

Public hospital doctor salaries in Vietnam

Vietnam uses professional grades for doctors employed as public-sector health workers.

The main doctor classifications include:

• Senior doctor, Grade I
• Principal doctor, Grade II
• Doctor, Grade III

Under the current salary structure, each grade has a range of salary coefficients. The coefficient is multiplied by the statutory base salary of VND 2.53 million.

Grade III doctor salary

Grade III is the standard professional doctor category and uses salary coefficients from 2.34 to 4.98.

From July 2026, this produces monthly base salaries ranging from approximately:

• Starting level: VND 5.92 million
• Highest level within Grade III: VND 12.60 million

A doctor's position within the scale depends on the applicable appointment and salary rules rather than simply the number of years since graduation.

Grade II doctor salary

Principal doctors, classified as Grade II, use coefficients from 4.40 to 6.78.

That translates into a public-sector base salary of approximately:

• VND 11.13 million at the lowest step
• VND 17.15 million at the highest step

Promotion to a higher professional title is subject to qualification and appointment requirements.

Grade I doctor salary

Senior doctors in Grade I use coefficients ranging from 6.20 to 8.00.

From July 2026, their basic monthly salary ranges from approximately:

• VND 15.69 million
• Up to VND 20.24 million

Again, these are base salary figures before relevant allowances and other income.

Why can actual public doctor income be higher?

The official salary table does not tell the full story of what an individual doctor takes home.

Depending on the role and workplace, additional income may include:

• Occupational allowances
• Position or leadership allowances
• Night duty or on-call payments
• Overtime
• Performance-related payments
• Bonuses
• Additional income available at financially autonomous public hospitals

The exact arrangements vary between institutions and roles.

This is one reason two doctors with the same professional grade may have different total monthly earnings.

What do private doctors earn in Vietnam?

Private hospitals and clinics are not bound to the same salary-coefficient system used for public employees. Employers generally negotiate pay according to specialty, experience, workload and commercial demand.

Current 2026 job advertisements provide useful examples, although they should not be interpreted as a national average.

Recent listings include:

• Dermatologist positions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City offering around VND 20 million to VND 30 million per month
• Dermatology roles in Hanoi advertising VND 20 million to VND 40 million
• Diagnostic imaging and obstetric ultrasound doctor positions offering VND 20 million to VND 30 million

One current dermatology vacancy explicitly describes the VND 20 million to VND 30 million income as a combination of fixed salary, allowances and treatment-related bonuses.

These examples show why private-sector income can exceed the formal base salary available in public facilities.

They do not establish that every private doctor earns VND 20 million or more. General practitioners, newly qualified doctors, part-time physicians and doctors outside major cities may receive different offers.

Which doctors can earn the most?

There is no official national ranking of specialties by income, but some private-sector specialties can command higher pay when there is strong patient demand or revenue linked to procedures.

Examples can include:

• Dermatology and aesthetic medicine
• Plastic surgery
• Radiology and diagnostic imaging
• Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Cardiology
• Orthopaedics
• Dentistry and oral surgery
• Ophthalmology

Procedural specialties may also provide opportunities for additional income that are not reflected in a standard monthly salary.

However, higher earning potential does not mean every doctor within that specialty earns the same amount. Experience, reputation, employer, patient volume and contractual terms can make a large difference.

For readers interested in the broader private healthcare market, Top 10 Countries for Medical Tourism in Asia provides context on Vietnam's position within regional healthcare travel.

Do doctors earn more in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi?

Major cities generally offer more private hospitals, specialist clinics and high-volume medical services than smaller provinces.

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi therefore provide more opportunities for private practice and specialist employment, including positions with international hospitals, aesthetic clinics and private medical groups.

Current job listings paying around VND 20 million to VND 40 million for specialist doctors are concentrated heavily in these large urban markets.

That does not automatically mean every doctor in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi earns more. Competition, cost of living, workload and employer type also matter.

Da Nang and other regional centres have growing private healthcare markets, but the number of specialist employers is smaller.

Are public doctors poorly paid in Vietnam?

Public-sector doctor salaries have long been a policy issue in Vietnam because official base pay can appear low relative to the training and responsibility required.

The government raised the statutory base salary from VND 2.34 million to VND 2.53 million per month from July 2026, which increased salaries calculated through the coefficient system.

Even after this increase, a Grade III doctor's official base salary can begin below VND 6 million per month before allowances.

For that reason, looking only at the official base salary may understate total earnings for some public doctors, particularly those receiving professional allowances or additional institutional income.

How are public doctor salaries calculated?

The system is relatively straightforward at its core.

From July 2026:

Base salary = VND 2.53 million x professional salary coefficient

For example, a Grade III doctor with a coefficient of 3.00 has a calculated base salary of:

VND 2.53 million x 3.00 = VND 7.59 million per month

A Grade II doctor with a coefficient of 5.76 has a base salary of:

VND 2.53 million x 5.76 = VND 14.57 million per month

These calculations do not include any additional allowances or bonuses.

Does specialty affect salary?

In the public salary framework, the professional grade and coefficient are central to basic pay. Specialty alone does not create a completely separate statutory salary scale for every type of doctor.

In the private market, specialty can matter much more.

A dermatologist performing medical and aesthetic procedures, for example, may have different commercial earning potential from a general practitioner working mainly in consultations. A radiologist or ultrasound specialist may also command higher pay where experienced staff are difficult to recruit.

Current private job advertisements illustrate this difference, with several specialist doctor positions offering VND 20 million to VND 40 million per month.

Does experience affect doctor salary in Vietnam?

Yes, although the way it affects income differs between the public and private sectors.

In public hospitals, progression through salary levels and professional grades is governed by the applicable public employee system and professional appointment criteria.

In private healthcare, experience is often negotiated more directly. Employers may offer higher fixed salaries or bonuses to doctors who have:

• Several years of specialist experience
• Recognised postgraduate qualifications
• Procedural skills
• An existing patient base
• Management experience
• Strong English or other foreign-language skills

Some job advertisements specifically link salary to professional experience and capability.

Do English-speaking doctors earn more?

There is no official national salary premium for speaking English.

However, English ability can be commercially valuable in private hospitals and clinics serving expatriates, international patients and medical tourists.

An English-speaking specialist may be able to work in settings where communication with foreign patients is a significant part of the role.

For patients rather than medical professionals, How to Choose an English-Speaking Clinic in Vietnam explains why it is important to confirm the language ability of the individual doctor, not just the clinic's marketing materials.

How much do newly qualified doctors earn?

There is no single starting salary for every newly qualified doctor in Vietnam.

For doctors entering applicable public positions, the professional salary framework provides the basis for official salary calculations. Grade III doctor coefficients begin at 2.34, which corresponds to VND 5.92 million per month under the July 2026 base salary.

However, actual appointment, probation, training and employment circumstances can affect what a new doctor receives.

Private employers set their own salary arrangements, so starting pay can differ significantly between hospitals, clinics and specialties.

Public versus private doctor salaries

The biggest difference is how pay is determined.

Public doctors work within a formal government salary structure based on professional grade and coefficient. Private-sector doctors usually negotiate compensation with the employer.

A public doctor's salary may therefore look lower on paper but can include allowances and additional institutional income. A private doctor's compensation may instead combine a fixed salary with performance bonuses or payments linked to procedures and patient volume.

This makes direct comparison difficult unless the full compensation package is known.

How doctor pay relates to healthcare costs

Doctor salary is only one part of what patients pay for private medical care.

Consultation prices also reflect the cost of facilities, nursing staff, diagnostic equipment, administrative services, medication, insurance arrangements and other operating expenses.

A specialist's high salary does not therefore translate directly into the consultation fee charged to the patient.

For a broader view of healthcare pricing, How Much Does Dental Treatment Cost in Vietnam? and How Much Does Hormone Therapy Cost in Vietnam? illustrate how treatment prices can include several separate components beyond professional fees.

Why salary figures online can be misleading

Salary websites often publish a single "average doctor salary" for Vietnam, sometimes converted into US dollars. These figures can be difficult to interpret because they may combine different specialties, seniority levels, cities and employment models.

Some estimates also fail to distinguish between base salary and total income.

For public doctors, the government salary scale provides a much clearer reference point. For private doctors, current job advertisements are useful examples, but they still represent specific vacancies rather than the entire market.

The safest conclusion is therefore that doctor earnings in Vietnam span a very wide range.

So, how much does a doctor earn in Vietnam in 2026?

For public-sector doctors, the clearest official reference is the salary scale introduced after the statutory base salary rose to VND 2.53 million in July 2026.

That produces base salaries of roughly:

• VND 5.9 million to VND 12.6 million for Grade III doctors
• VND 11.1 million to VND 17.2 million for Grade II doctors
• VND 15.7 million to VND 20.2 million for Grade I doctors

Allowances and other payments can increase actual public-sector income.

In the private sector, current specialist vacancies show examples around VND 20 million to VND 40 million per month, although some doctors can earn less or substantially more depending on specialty, experience and how their compensation is structured.

The practical answer is therefore that there is no single doctor salary in Vietnam. Public-sector doctors follow a regulated pay system, while private-sector income is much more variable and can be considerably higher for experienced specialists.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions below address common searches about doctor salaries in Vietnam.

Sources

1. Government of Vietnam: Decree 161/2026/ND-CP on the Statutory Base Salary
2. Thu Vien Phap Luat: Doctor and Physician Salary Table From July 2026
3. TopCV: Dermatologist Vacancy in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City