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Surgeon Salary in the United States

How much does a Surgeon make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Surgeon in the United States is $439,482 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $211.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $559,983
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $397,005 to $502,557
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $358,332
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Surgeon Salaries

A 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 Surgeon Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a 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): $422,364
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $425,534
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $428,704
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $433,142
  • Expert (over 8 years): $444,189
Levels Salary
Entry Level Surgeon$422,364
Intermediate Level Surgeon$425,534
Senior Level Surgeon$428,704
Specialist Level Surgeon$433,142
Expert Level Surgeon$444,189
View as Graph

How Do 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 Surgeons. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $486,594.
  • California: $484,749.
  • Massachusetts: $478,288.

Top Paying Cities for 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: $554,319
  • San Francisco: $548,249
  • Oakland: $536,695

What Skills Can Increase a Surgeon's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Critical Thinking (Mentioned in 7.63% Job Postings): Questioning, analyzing and evaluating various alternatives and situations to draw a rational conclusion independently.
  • HIPAA (Mentioned in 3.58% Job Postings): The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.
  • Clinical Practice (Mentioned in 2.12% Job Postings): Clinical practice is defined as a model of practice that involves those activities with and on behalf of clients, especially those activities completed in the client's presence and with the client's collaboration.
Skills Demand Percentage
Critical Thinking 7.63%
HIPAA 3.58%
Clinical Practice 2.12%
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 Surgeon's salary.

  • Cardiac: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
  • Acute Care: Can increase your salary by up to 1%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 1%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cardiac $448,272
2%
Acute Care $443,877
1%
Leadership $443,877
1%
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Surgeon Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Surgeon salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $494,089. While startup companies pay approximate $419,519.

Surgeon Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $419,519
Growth Stage 51~500 $443,258
Established 501~5000 $477,499
Enterprise 5000+ $494,089

Surgeon Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Surgeon roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Surgeon positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Surgeon as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Surgeon

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$659,223$317.050%
Biotechnology$527,378$254.020%

How Education impacts a Surgeon's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Surgeon enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Surgeon with a Bachelor's Degree is between $0 and $0.

Surgeon Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Surgeon
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.4%
High School 4.3%
Associates 2.1%
Bachelors 2.1%
Masters 5.0%
Doctorate 87.1%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a 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
$397,005
Average $439,482/year
$502,557
$33,084
Average $36,624/month
$41,880
$7,635
Average $8,452/week
$9,665
$191
Average $211/hour
$242
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $502,557 $41,880 $9,665 $242
Average $439,482 $36,624 $8,452 $211
25th Percentile $397,005 $33,084 $7,635 $191

Most common benefits for Surgeon

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

Common company salaries for Surgeon

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

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FAQ about Surgeon

1. Where can a Surgeon earn the most?

A Surgeon's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Surgeon earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Surgeon is $554,319.

2. What is the highest pay for Surgeon?

The highest pay for Surgeon is $559,983.

3. What is the lowest pay for Surgeon?

The lowest pay for Surgeon is $358,332.

4. What are the responsibilities of Surgeon?

Performs surgery to prevent and correct injuries, deformities, diseases or improve patient function, appearance or quality of life. Reviews patient history and confirms need for surgery. Determines which instruments and method of surgery will be most successful in achieving desired outcome. May provide medical personnel with direction concerning patient care. May provide in-service training as needed to address new technology in health care treatment. Provides charting in compliance with all laws and regulations. Requires a MD degree from an accredited school. Typically reports to a medical director. Requires a license to practice. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Surgeon?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Surgeon roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

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.

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