Doctor Vs. Lawyer Salary in Nigeria

One of the never-ending discussion and debate topics in Nigeria is Doctors vs. Lawyers salaries: how much do they earn? And which profession makes more? Well, sorting out the exact answer is quite challenging because we can’t prioritize one profession over another based only on their salary.

This is because salary is not only measured via position but also based on experience, skills, and education. Well, before answering, we need to make sure that you know the detailed descriptions of both professions, including who they are and their professional responsibilities.

The short answer is that doctors earn more, with horsemanship doctors at ₦160,000/month, while lawyers’ salaries range from ₦20,000 to ₦300,000/month based on experience. A comparative study reveals doctors are generally paid higher, averaging ₦600,000/month for specialists.

Let’s discuss it in detail without wasting any more time.

Doctor’s Salary In Nigeria

As per our research and analysis, we have learned that doctors in Nigeria earn comparatively more than other professionals within the country. They make a better income, but when we compare doctors’ income in Nigeria to that of doctors in other parts of the world, they are paid relatively less.

The data we have collected from our resources tells us that two officials are regulating the salary structure for medical doctors within Nigeria. These are Consolidated Medical Salary Structures (CONMESS). It is for hospitals.

Then, we have Consolidated University Academic Structure (CONAUSS), which is for medical doctors working in the academic sector. Let’s look at the details of the salaries of doctors in Nigeria.

Housemanship Doctor’s Salary

As you all know, a House Job is a compulsory one-year service for a fresh medical graduate where he gets the opportunity to work with professional doctors on a professional level. It has been noticed that those doctors doing their housejob earn an average of ₦ 160,000 per month.

National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC) Doctor’s Salary

Then, these medical doctors who have completed their house jobs must attend the National Youth Service Corps scheme after the end of their house jobs. Here, they must provide service to local hospitals and sometimes teaching hospitals.

The salary they get here depends upon various factors, but on average, we have come to know that the doctors here get a monthly salary of ₦ 50,000 during the NYSC National Youth Service Corps Scheme. Then, after completing the NYSC scheme, doctors go for official jobs.

Post NYSC Doctor’s Salary

The salaries vary according to the Institute. The doctors who work in private clinics earn comparatively less than those who work in government hospitals.

The reports say private hospitals pay an average of ₦ 120,000 for doctors, which is comparatively lower than government hospitals. Government hospitals spend an average of ₦ 190,000 monthly as a salary for Junior Doctors. Consultants or specialist doctors earn an average of ₦ 600,000 per month.

Lawyer’s Salary In Nigeria

Lawyers’ salaries in Nigeria depend on various factors, including their experience, the size of the company or law firm they’re working for, and their ability to work. The data that we have received from the research we have conducted tells us that the average salary of a lawyer who is working in Nigeria is a monthly wage of ₦ 50,000.

Keep in mind some lawyers earn as low as ₦ 20,000 per month, so we can say that when we compare this salary to a doctor’s salary in Nigeria, it is much less than theirs. Moreover, the salary of a lawyer is also different based on their level or rank.

The interns who are not yet professionally employed in the law firm or company must work for some months before going to a professional organization. The average monthly income that they get as an intern in Nigeria is ₦ 17,000 per month.

Whereas those junior associate lawyers who are freshly employed in a company get an average of ₦ 57,500 monthly salary. Furthermore, for senior associates who have experience of more than three years and less than five years, their pay is quite noticeable and ranges between ₦ 50,000 and ₦ 300,000 per month. This makes an average of ₦ 175,000 per month.

The most professional lawyers in Nigeria are usually those who have their law firms and get quite a handsome amount of money as their salary. These are the partners in law firms and have more than five years of experience in the field.

Well, their salary is not easy to measure because the wage is not specific but instead depends upon the income of the whole firm. Still, we can say that partners can earn an average of ₦ 50,000 per month as their salary.

Who Earns More? Comparative Study

According to the data, facts, and figures that we have received from our research, we came to know that doctors are paid more than lawyers in Nigeria. Although doctors are comparatively overpaid in Nigeria compared to other professionals, when we talk about doctors’ salaries in Nigeria and other parts of the world, we know that they earn more in other countries.

Are Lawyers Underpaid In Nigeria?

Lawyers are pretty underpaid in Nigeria. Although they have to deal with lots of things in their profession, they are paid less than doctors.

Not only this, but the lawyers in Nigeria earn a noticeably low salary compared to those in other parts of the world. Even the most senior lawyer in Nigeria makes an average of ₦ 500,000 per month and not more than that.

Are Doctors Overpaid In Nigeria?

Doctors, compared to the other professionals in Nigeria, are overpaid. But when we compare the salaries of doctors in Nigeria and those of doctors in other parts of the world, we know that doctors are also underpaid in Nigeria.

But because the topic is all about the comparative study of doctor Vs. Regarding lawyer salaries in Nigeria, we have come to know that doctors earn much more monthly income than lawyers. The most senior and specialist doctor in Nigeria makes an average of ₦ 600,000 per month.

Hopefully, you have understood everything about doctors versus lawyer’s salaries in Nigeria and what they earn. The data we have collected above is based on the research that we have done on both professionals in Nigeria.

It tells that doctors are paid more than lawyers in Nigeria and less than in other countries. At the same time, lawyers are underpaid in Nigeria compared to other professionals in the country. Make sure to understand everything so you can know how much a doctor is paid in Nigeria and how much a lawyer is paid in Nigeria.