One in Three Belgian Doctors Earn More Than the Prime Minister

A landmark investigation by Belgian newspaper De Morgen has revealed that one in three Belgian doctors operating through a professional corporation (vennootschap) earn a higher net profit than Prime Minister Bart De Wever, whose net monthly salary stands at €10,651. The findings, based on an analysis of over 15,000 financial statements covering roughly one-third of all Belgian doctors, have reignited debate about income inequality in healthcare and what constitutes fair compensation for medical professionals.

The Numbers Behind the Headline

The investigation, conducted by journalists Cathy Galle, Dieter De Cleene, Dimitri Thijskens, and Sara Vandekerckhove, paints a picture of striking disparities within the medical profession. The overall median net profit across all doctors with a corporation is just over €82,000 per year — approximately €6,800 net per month. But the range between specialties is enormous.

At the top of the earnings ladder are radiologists, with a median annual net profit of approximately €218,000 (€18,000–€39,000 per month). The top 10% of radiologists earn over €472,000. At the bottom are pediatricians, with a median net profit of nearly €57,000 per year (€4,750–€12,000 per month). At the median, a pediatrician earns nearly four times less than a radiologist; at the extremes, the gap can reach 14-fold.

The top 10% of all doctors with corporations record over €250,000 in net profit, while the top 5% earn nearly €335,000, as HLN reported in its summary of the findings.

A Nuanced Picture

Health economist Dominique Vandijck of Ghent University cautioned against painting all doctors with the same brush. “That shows that certainly not all doctors are extravagant high earners,” Vandijck told De Morgen.

The data measures nettowinst (net profit) — what remains after all costs and corporate taxes are paid, and after the doctor has paid themselves a salary. This is close to, but not identical to, personal net income. The comparison to the Prime Minister’s salary is also imperfect, as TVL noted in its coverage: politicians receive generous pensions and benefits that self-employed doctors do not.

The Debate Over Fair Compensation

Ethicist Michiel De Proost (UGent) called for a broader societal conversation. “What constitutes a fair compensation deserves more transparency and debate,” he said. “Because it is a crucial discussion if we want to keep our healthcare affordable and accessible.”

Johan Blanckaert, vice-chairman of BVAS (the Belgian Union of Medical Syndicates), defended the compensation levels. “Doctors are self-employed and bear responsibility for their own pensions and other social provisions and costs,” he said. “From that perspective, these compensations are not excessive.”

Broader Context

The investigation arrives amid ongoing debates about healthcare costs in Belgium. Total healthcare spending reached approximately €63 billion in 2023, having doubled since 2008, and the 2026 healthcare budget was set at roughly €41.3 billion. In March 2026, over 85% of doctors acceded to the National Agreement between Doctors and Health Insurance Funds for 2026–2027.

A P-Magazine analysis from 2025 noted that Belgian self-employed specialists rank second in the world in relative purchasing power, behind only South Korea. However, specialists in salaried positions rank only 21st globally, highlighting the stark divide between those who operate through corporations and those who do not.

What This Means for Belgian Healthcare

The De Morgen investigation has injected unprecedented transparency into a long-simmering debate. While the headline figure — one in three doctors with a corporation earning more than the Prime Minister — is provocative, the reality is more complex. The median doctor earns a respectable but not extravagant income, while top earners in certain specialties can make several times that amount.

The findings raise important questions: How do compensation structures incentivize specialization choices? What policy responses, if any, might the government consider? And perhaps most critically, how can Belgium balance the need to attract and retain medical talent with the imperative of maintaining an affordable and accessible healthcare system for all?

As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the era of opacity around doctor compensation in Belgium is coming to an end.