Answers to common questions about wRVUs and the calculator.
Using the Calculator
How do I get started?
Select your specialty from the dropdown, then add CPT codes from the E&M or procedure panels. Set your weekly or monthly volume for each code using the stepper controls. The dashboard updates in real time with your projected wRVUs and compensation.
How does the reverse planner work?
If your projected annual wRVUs fall short of your target, the reverse planner calculates how many additional procedures per week you would need to close the gap. The clinic / OR mix slider controls how the gap is distributed between E&M visits and procedures. A 50/50 split divides the deficit evenly; sliding toward clinic or OR biases the recommendation accordingly. The calculator then distributes the category-level deficit across your selected codes proportionally to your current volume.
Can I switch between weekly and monthly volumes?
Yes. Use the Weekly/Monthly toggle in the settings bar to switch all codes at once, or tap the /wk or /mo button on individual codes. When switching, volumes are converted using a 4-week month for clean numbers.
Can I save multiple scenarios?
Yes. Click "Saved" in the header to save your current setup as a named snapshot. You can save as many scenarios as you want, rename them, update them in place, delete them, and share them via URL. If you are signed in, saved calculations sync across devices automatically.
Can I compare two job offers side-by-side?
Yes. Save each offer as a named calculation, then go to the Compare page. Select two saved calculations from the dropdowns and the app shows a side-by-side breakdown of annual wRVUs, target, $/wRVU rate, total compensation, and a bottom-line summary of which offer pays more. Advanced compensation (tiered rates, bonuses, stipends) is included when available.
Can I export my calculations?
Yes. Click "Export" to generate a CSV or PDF report of your current calculation. Reports include the full code list, volumes, wRVU production, and compensation projection. You can also copy a shareable URL from the Share button.
How accurate is the compensation projection?
The basic calculator uses a flat $/wRVU rate multiplied by annual production. Pro subscribers can use the Advanced Compensation section to add a base salary, tiered wRVU rates, quality bonuses, and other contract components for more detailed modeling. Even with these inputs, treat projections as estimates — always review exact terms with your contract negotiator or an attorney.
What is the Advanced Compensation section?
The Advanced Compensation section is a Pro feature that lets you model real-world contract structures beyond a simple flat $/wRVU rate. You can enter a base salary, define tiered wRVU rates (e.g., $50/wRVU for the first 6,000 wRVUs, then $65/wRVU above that), add quality bonuses, call pay, administrative stipends, and other components. The calculator combines all inputs to project total annual compensation.
Productivity Monitor
What is the Monitor?
The Monitor is a daily logging tool where you record the CPT codes and quantities you actually performed each day. It provides weekly, monthly, and year-to-date wRVU production summaries, pace tracking against your annual goal, and historical trend charts. It answers "how am I actually performing?" vs. the Calculator which answers "what if I do X per week?"
How do I log an entry?
Navigate to the Monitor page and use the entry form at the top. Select your specialty, pick a date using the Today/Yesterday buttons or the calendar picker, then search for a CPT code by name or number. You can also use the quick-add buttons for your most frequently used codes. Tap a code to add it with a quantity of one, then adjust the quantity with the stepper controls. Entries are saved immediately and sync to the cloud if you are signed in.
Which specialties are supported?
Thirteen specialties are currently available: Urology, General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, ENT / Otolaryngology, OB/GYN, Gastroenterology, Vascular Surgery, Interventional Cardiology, Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pulmonology, Dermatology, and Ophthalmology. Each specialty has its own curated CPT code list covering the procedures and E&M visits most commonly performed by physicians in that field.
wRVU Terminology
What is a wRVU?
A Work Relative Value Unit (wRVU) measures the physician work component of a medical service — the time, technical skill, mental effort, judgment, and stress involved. Each CPT code has a wRVU value assigned annually by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the Physician Fee Schedule. Higher-complexity services carry higher wRVU values.
How is wRVU different from total RVU?
A total RVU for any given CPT code is the sum of three components: the work RVU (wRVU), the practice expense RVU (peRVU), and the malpractice RVU (mpRVU). wRVU is the portion that directly reflects physician effort and is the component most commonly used for productivity tracking and compensation. This calculator focuses on wRVU because that is the metric tied to most physician compensation formulas.
How does CMS determine wRVU values?
CMS publishes the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) annually, which assigns a wRVU value to each CPT code. Values are reviewed periodically by the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) and adjusted for changes in clinical practice, time requirements, and complexity. New codes, deleted codes, and revaluations all take effect on January 1 of each year.
What is the difference between E&M and procedure codes?
Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes cover clinic visits — things like new patient visits (99202–99205), established patient visits (99212–99215), and consultations. Procedure codes cover surgeries, endoscopies, and technical procedures performed in the OR or procedure room. This calculator shows both in separate panels because most physicians produce wRVUs from a mix of both categories.
What is a "good" annual wRVU target?
It depends heavily on specialty. The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) publishes median wRVU production data each year. As rough 2026 reference points: family medicine is around 4,800, urology around 7,500, cardiology around 9,400, and orthopedic surgery around 9,200. This calculator pre-fills the MGMA median for each specialty as a starting target, which you can adjust to match your own contract.
How do I convert wRVUs to dollars?
Most physician compensation models pay a fixed dollar amount per wRVU produced. If your contract pays $55 per wRVU and you produce 7,500 wRVUs in a year, your compensation is 7,500 x $55 = $412,500. Enter your contract's $/wRVU rate in the settings bar and the calculator will project annual compensation automatically. For contracts with base salaries or tiered rates, Pro subscribers can use the Advanced Compensation section for a more accurate projection.
Compensation Benchmarks
What are compensation benchmarks?
Compensation benchmarks are a Pro feature that shows how your projected annual compensation compares to national percentiles for your specialty. The gauge displays your position relative to the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles so you can evaluate whether a contract offer is competitive.
Where does the benchmark data come from?
Benchmark data is compiled from multiple publicly available sources: MGMA DataDive summary reports, Doximity Physician Compensation Reports, Medscape Physician Compensation Reports, and AMGA survey press releases. We cross-reference these sources to establish reliable percentile ranges for each specialty. No raw MGMA DataDive access is required — all figures come from published summaries.
What is GPCI and how does locality adjustment work?
GPCI (Geographic Practice Cost Index) is a set of adjustment factors published annually by CMS as part of the Physician Fee Schedule. The Work GPCI component reflects regional differences in physician labor costs. When you select a locality, the benchmark adjusts national wRVU production targets and total compensation percentiles by multiplying them by the Work GPCI for your area. For example, a locality with a Work GPCI of 1.10 means benchmarks are adjusted 10% higher than national figures. The $/wRVU market rates are not adjusted because contract negotiation rates are not directly tied to GPCI.
How accurate are the benchmarks?
Benchmarks are reference points compiled from publicly available survey summaries, not raw survey data. They represent reasonable approximations of market compensation but should not be treated as exact figures. Actual compensation varies based on practice setting, payer mix, contract structure, and geographic factors beyond GPCI. Always use benchmarks as one input alongside advice from your contract negotiator or compensation consultant.
How often are benchmarks updated?
Compensation benchmarks are updated annually when new survey data is published, typically mid-year. GPCI locality data is updated when CMS publishes a new Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, usually in November for the following calendar year. The current data version is displayed in the benchmark card info panel.
Why aren't the percentile markers evenly spaced on the benchmark bar?
The benchmark bar uses a value-based linear scale, meaning each marker is placed at its actual dollar amount rather than at a fixed fraction of the bar width. The spacing between markers reflects the real compensation gap between those percentiles. For example, with urology total compensation: the 25th percentile is $360K, 50th is $450K, 75th is $570K, and 90th is $700K. The $90K jump from 25th to 50th is narrower on the bar than the $120K jump from 50th to 75th. Markers that appear closer together indicate a smaller compensation gap between those percentiles, while wider spacing indicates a larger gap. This gives you an intuitive sense of where the biggest jumps in compensation occur across the distribution.
Data & Sources
Where does the data come from?
All wRVU values come directly from the CMS 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, published on cms.gov. Specialty median benchmarks are compiled from publicly available MGMA, SullivanCotter, and AMGA summary data. This calculator is not affiliated with CMS, MGMA, or any professional society.
How often is the calculator updated?
wRVU values are updated annually when CMS publishes a new Physician Fee Schedule (typically November, effective January 1). The calculator is currently using 2026 CMS data. Specialty benchmarks are updated when new MGMA or AMGA summary data is published, typically once per year.
Accessibility
What accessibility features does RVU Pulse offer?
RVU Pulse includes a dark/light theme toggle available to all users without an account. The toggle is located in the footer of every page and your preference persists across sessions via your browser.
Where do I find the accessibility controls?
Scroll to the bottom of any page. In the second row of links you will see a sun/moon icon that toggles between light and dark theme. This setting is also available on the Settings page for signed-in users.
Do accessibility preferences sync across devices?
Accessibility preferences are stored in your browser's local storage so they persist between visits on the same device and browser. They do not sync across devices. This means you can set different preferences on your phone vs. your desktop — for example, larger text on mobile and default size on a monitor.
Is RVU Pulse keyboard accessible?
Yes. All interactive elements — buttons, dropdowns, inputs, and modals — are reachable and operable via keyboard. Modals trap focus so you can tab through their controls without accidentally leaving, and pressing Escape closes them. The calculator is also compatible with screen readers: summary cards and the progress bar announce changes as you add or adjust codes.
Install as App
How do I install RVU Pulse as an app on my Android phone?
In Chrome, open rvupulse.com, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and select "Add to Home screen" or "Install app." Confirm the prompt and the app icon will appear on your home screen. In Firefox, open rvupulse.com, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Install." If you don't see that option, tap "Add to Home screen" instead. Once installed, the app opens in its own window without browser toolbars.
How do I install RVU Pulse as an app on my iPhone?
Open rvupulse.com in Safari, tap the Share button (the square with an upward arrow) at the bottom of the screen, scroll down, and tap "Add to Home Screen." Name the shortcut and tap "Add." The app icon will appear on your home screen and opens in full-screen mode without the Safari address bar. Note: Chrome and Firefox on iOS use Safari's underlying engine, so you must use Safari's Share menu to add it to your home screen.
What are the benefits of installing it as an app?
Installing RVU Pulse as an app gives you a dedicated icon on your home screen for quick access, removes browser toolbars so the calculator uses your full screen, and makes the app feel like a native application. The app also respects your theme preference — dark or light mode extends to the system status bar and navigation bar. All your saved data and settings carry over automatically.
Subscription & Billing
What is free and what requires a subscription?
The wRVU calculator is completely free — you can select a specialty, add codes, adjust volumes, and see projected wRVUs and compensation without an account. Pro features include saving calculations, exporting reports, sharing via URL, compensation benchmarks with GPCI locality adjustments, advanced compensation modeling, and the Productivity Monitor.
Can I cancel my subscription?
Yes, you can cancel at any time from the Settings page. Your Pro features remain active until the end of your current billing period. After cancellation, your account reverts to the free tier but your saved data is never deleted.
Do you offer refunds?
If you are unsatisfied within the first 14 days of a new subscription, contact us through the Feedback page and we will issue a full refund.
Privacy & Security
Do I need an account to use the calculator?
No. The calculator is fully functional without an account. Creating an account is optional and only needed if you want to sync your saved calculations across multiple devices or browsers, or to use premium features like the Productivity Monitor. Without an account, your data is stored locally in your browser.
Does this tool store or transmit my data?
Without an account, all data stays in your browser's local storage and never leaves your device. If you create an account, your saved calculations sync to a secure database so you can access them across devices. Your data is never sold or shared with third parties. For full details, see our Privacy Policy at rvupulse.com/privacy.
Where can I find your privacy policy and terms of service?
Our Privacy Policy is available at rvupulse.com/privacy and our Terms of Service at rvupulse.com/terms. You can also learn more about who operates RVU Pulse on our About page at rvupulse.com/about.