While I'm on my soap box, let me add another caveat. Some insurance plans are now trying to steer their subscribers toward Doctors of Osteopathy, as an alternative to Doctors of Medicine. Why do you suppose that would be? If you need more than one guess, you don't understand anything about insurance companies.

People tend to get paid commensurate with their talent and the resources invested in developing that talent. It costs less to go to a college of osteopathy than to a college of medicine, and you don't have to be as smart to get in. So do the math.

However, no rule of thumb is universally true. Paramedics spend less time in school than nurses and get paid less (at least, traditionally.) While in the ER, I got most of my care from a paramedic, who seemed superbly competent at what she was doing. In fact, I've gotten care from nurses in ERs who were notably less competent.