Salary AI Book a Demo

Burn Surgeon Salary in the United States

How much does a Burn Surgeon make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Burn Surgeon in the United States is $486,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $234.

However, a Burn Surgeon's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $619,949
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $439,600 to $556,400
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $396,809
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Burn Surgeon Salaries

A Burn Surgeon's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Burn Surgeon Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Burn Surgeon's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $467,660
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $471,167
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $488,684
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $517,854
  • Expert (over 8 years): $523,063
Levels Salary
Entry Level Burn Surgeon$467,660
Intermediate Level Burn Surgeon$471,167
Senior Level Burn Surgeon$488,684
Specialist Level Burn Surgeon$517,854
Expert Level Burn Surgeon$523,063
View as Graph

How Do Burn Surgeon Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Burn Surgeons. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $538,800.
  • California: $536,700.
  • Massachusetts: $529,600.

Top Paying Cities for Burn Surgeons

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $613,700
  • San Francisco: $607,000
  • Oakland: $594,200

What Skills Can Increase a Burn Surgeon's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 4.1% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 4.4% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
  • Medical Education (Mentioned in 3.02% Job Postings): Medical education is a course of study directed toward imparting knowledge and skills required for the prevention and treatment of diseases to persons seeking to become physicians.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 4.1%
Acute Care 4.4%
Medical Education 3.02%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Burn Surgeon's salary.

  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Confidentiality: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Flexibility $593,652
22%
Dedication $569,322
17%
Confidentiality $530,394
9%
Get Latest Data

Burn Surgeon Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Burn Surgeon salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $516,472. While startup companies pay approximate $439,823.

Burn Surgeon Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $439,823
Growth Stage 51~500 $464,398
Established 501~5000 $499,469
Enterprise 5000+ $516,472

Burn Surgeon Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Burn Surgeon roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely, Burn Surgeon positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Burn Surgeon as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Burn Surgeon

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$632,580$304.030%

How Education impacts a Burn Surgeon's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Burn Surgeons enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Burn Surgeon with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $444,748 and $523,501).

Burn Surgeon Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Burn Surgeon
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 100.0%
High School 0.0%
Associates 0.0%
Bachelors 0.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 100.0%
View as Graph

Burn Surgeon Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Burn Surgeon's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$439,600
Average $486,600/year
$556,400
$36,633
Average $40,550/month
$46,367
$8,454
Average $9,358/week
$10,700
$211
Average $234/hour
$268
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $556,400 $46,367 $10,700 $268
Average $486,600 $40,550 $9,358 $234
25th Percentile $439,600 $36,633 $8,454 $211

Most common benefits for Burn Surgeon

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Burn Surgeon

Here are companies hiring for Burn Surgeon and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Burn Surgeon Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Burn Surgeon job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Burn Surgeon

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Burn Surgeon?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Burn Surgeon roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

2. What is the highest paid firemen?

The highest paid burn surgeons earn significantly more than firefighters. The salary range for burn surgeons is between $319,800 and $615,600, with a mid-salary of $487,100. In comparison, the highest reported salary for firefighters is $148,573 in Everett, WA, highlighting the substantial difference in compensation between these professions.

3. What is the highest paid general surgeon?

The highest paid general surgeon is a burn surgeon, with salaries ranging from $319,800 to $615,600. The average salary is approximately $487,100. This positions burn surgeons among the top earners in the medical field, reflecting their specialized skills and the complexity of their work.

4. What is burn surgery called?

Burn surgery is often referred to as burn care or burn reconstruction. Key procedures include escharotomy, which involves making a cut in the burn to relieve pressure and restore blood flow, particularly for circumferential burns and compartment syndrome. Another procedure is fasciotomy, which cuts the fascia to alleviate pressure and enhance blood circulation. Burn surgeons earn between $319,800 and $615,600 annually, with a median salary of $487,100.

5. What is the highest paying job in the world?

While many high-paying jobs exist, a Burn Surgeon stands out with a salary range from $319,800 to $615,600, depending on experience and location. This specialized medical role involves performing complex surgeries to treat severe burns, requiring extensive training and expertise, making it one of the top earners in the medical field.

6. Who is the richest doctor in the world?

The richest doctors in the world include Thomas Frist Jr., MD, with a net worth of $20.2 billion, and Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, at $5.8 billion. While burn surgeons earn between $319,800 and $615,600 annually, their wealth pales in comparison to these billionaires. Gary Michelson, MD, a retired orthopedic surgeon, has a net worth of $1.8 billion.

7. Is plastic surgeon a stressful job?

Plastic surgery can be a stressful job, as evidenced by a study showing that 37% of plastic surgeons experience burnout. Additionally, 28% show signs of depression, and 46% would not recommend the profession to their children. Despite the challenges, the financial rewards are significant, with salaries ranging from $319,800 to $615,600, reflecting the demanding nature of the field.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst