TL;DR

Hong Kong’s medical and healthcare workforce has long faced shortages, and the pay gap between the public and private sectors remains substantial in 2026. The Hospital Authority (HA) 2026 Salary Scale shows that public hospital doctors start at around HK$75,000 (resident doctors) and can rise to HK$180,000–250,000 per month as consultant doctors, yet the hours are extremely long (60–80 hours per week). Private practice doctors have a very high earnings ceiling (popular specialties such as oncology and cardiology can earn over HK$500,000 a month), but they must build up their own patient base. Nurses start at HK$35,780 (HA registered nurse, HGPS point 15 base pay), with a top salary of HK$57,580, while senior nurse practitioners can reach HK$83,975. Allied health professionals (physiotherapists and the like) start at around HK$32,000–40,000. This article offers a full comparison.

1. Hospital Authority Salary Scale 2026: Monthly Pay by Grade for Public Doctors

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1.1 Hospital Authority (Public) Doctors

  • Resident Doctor: MPS 32–44 · HK$75,000–100,000 · 1–6 years after graduation
  • Associate Consultant: MPS 45–49 · HK$100,000–130,000 · specialist qualification + about 8–12 years
  • Consultant: Directorate Grade D1–D2 · HK$180,000–250,000 · 15+ years
  • Chief of Service: D3–D4 · HK$250,000–300,000+ · 20+ years

1.2 Private Practice Doctors

Private doctors’ income varies enormously and is difficult to quantify. The following are rough industry estimates:

  • Private Hospital Resident Doctor: HK$80,000–150,000 · employed, similar to public but with shorter hours
  • Salaried Doctor at Private Clinic: HK$80,000–180,000 · employed by a clinic group or individual doctor
  • Self-owned Clinic (GP / General Practice): HK$100,000–300,000 · depends on patient volume and district
  • Private Specialist Practice (Cardiology, Oncology, etc.): HK$300,000–1,000,000+ · very high income but requires building a reputation over the long term

2. Nurse Salaries

  • Registered Nurse (RN) — Entry: from HK$35,780 (HGPS 15) · HK$32,000–40,000 · Bachelor of Nursing degree
  • Advanced Practice Nurse (APN): HK$60,290–83,975 (HGPS 26–33A) · HK$45,000–65,000 · about 8–12 years’ experience
  • Ward Manager (WM): HK$60,290–83,975 (HMPS 1–9) · HK$60,000–80,000 · about 12+ years’ management experience
  • Department Operations Manager (DOM): HK$83,975–99,525 (HMPS 9–14) · HK$80,000–120,000 · 15+ years

Enrolled Nurse (EN) (diploma level) — HA entry base pay is HK$22,590 (HGPS 7), roughly 35% lower than a registered nurse.

3. Allied Health

  • Physiotherapist (PT): HK$34,000–40,000 · HK$35,000–50,000 · strong private-market demand
  • Occupational Therapist (OT): HK$34,000–40,000 · HK$35,000–48,000 · —
  • Pharmacist: HK$38,000–45,000 · HK$40,000–55,000 · private chain pharmacies / pharmaceutical companies
  • Radiographer: HK$34,000–40,000 · HK$35,000–50,000 · —
  • Medical Laboratory Technologist: HK$32,000–38,000 · HK$30,000–45,000 · —
  • Dietitian: HK$30,000–38,000 · HK$28,000–45,000 · —

4. Public vs Private: Pros and Cons

  • Pay: High starting salary and steady increments, but a capped ceiling · Lower starting salary but an extremely high ceiling
  • Hours: 60–80 hours/week (doctors) · 40–60 hours/week
  • Progression: Transparent but slow ladder · Fast but depends on personal ability
  • Training: Many specialist training opportunities · Must be sought out independently
  • Pressure: Very heavy workload (high patient numbers), bureaucracy · Business pressure (maintaining patient volume)
  • Retirement: Civil Service Pension Fund (CSPF) · Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

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5. FAQ

Q1: Can non-local medical graduates practise in Hong Kong? A1: Yes, by passing the Licensing Examination of the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) (commonly known as the “LMCHK”). The pass rate is low (~20–30%), but in recent years the limited registration system has relaxed the requirements for non-local doctors.

Q2: Which has better prospects, physiotherapists or occupational therapists? A2: Physiotherapists have a larger private market (sports injuries, pain rehabilitation, etc.) and a broader patient base. Demand for occupational therapists is concentrated in the public system and elderly care. PT private-sector income is generally higher.

Sources

Public nurse salaries are calculated based on HA salary-point base pay effective from 1 April 2026 (excluding allowances); doctor, allied health and private-sector pay figures reference recruitment platforms.