Surgical Pathologist Salary in the United States

How much does a Surgical Pathologist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Surgical Pathologist in the United States is $333,097 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $160.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $399,412
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $312,870 to $367,809
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $294,454
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View as table View as graph 25% $312,870 10% $294,454 90% $399,412 75% $367,809 $333,097 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Surgical Pathologist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $367,809 $30,651 $7,073 $177
Average $333,097 $27,758 $6,406 $160
25th Percentile $312,870 $26,073 $6,017 $150
Check out Surgical Pathologist Job Openings in the United States
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eviCore healthcare - Columbus, OH

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MD Staff, LLC - Columbus, OH

Local CDL

C.R. England - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Surgical Pathologist Salaries

A Surgical Pathologist'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 Surgical Pathologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Surgical Pathologist'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): $322,721
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $324,170
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $325,619
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $327,647
  • Expert (over 8 years): $333,097
Levels Salary
Entry Level Surgical Pathologist$322,721
Intermediate Level Surgical Pathologist$324,170
Senior Level Surgical Pathologist$325,619
Specialist Level Surgical Pathologist$327,647
Expert Level Surgical Pathologist$333,097
$322,721 0 yr
$324,170 < 2 yrs
$325,619 2-4 yrs
$327,647 5-8 yrs
$333,097 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Surgical Pathologists

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: $420,135
  • San Francisco: $415,535
  • Oakland: $406,778

What Skills Can Increase a Surgical Pathologist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 4.06% 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 4.27% 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 2.97% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 4.06%
Acute Care 4.27%
Medical Education 2.97%
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 Surgical Pathologist's salary.
  • Interpersonal Relationships: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Customer Service: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Medical Services: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Interpersonal Relationships
$359,745
8%
Customer Service
$356,414
7%
Medical Services
$356,414
7%
Commitment
$356,414
7%
Communication Skills
$353,083
6%
Verbal Communication
$349,752
5%
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Surgical Pathologist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Surgical Pathologist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Surgical Pathologist positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Surgical Pathologist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Surgical Pathologist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$416,371$200.025%
Biotechnology$366,407$176.010%

How Education impacts a Surgical Pathologist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Surgical Pathologists 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 Surgical Pathologist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $300,786 and $330,669).

Surgical Pathologist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Surgical Pathologist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 0.7%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 4.1%
Masters 3.4%
Doctorate 91.9%
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Surgical Pathologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Surgical Pathologist'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Surgical Pathologist

Salaries for a Surgical Pathologist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $140,482 in 2023 to around $134,425 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Surgical Pathologist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Surgical Pathologist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$140,482
2024
$139,037
2025
$134,425
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $140,482
2024 $139,037
2025 $134,425
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Surgical Pathologist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Surgical Pathologist

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

Find Your Next Surgical Pathologist Job

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

United States
  • Maxim Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    Maxim Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Private duty nursing (PDN) allows medically fragile patients to receive quality, skilled nursing care in the comfort of their home: a setting preferred by ... more

    13 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    13 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Summit Recruiting Group

    Columbus, OH

    Summit Recruiting Group | Columbus, OH

    NP/PA Dermatology job opening in Columbus, OHPosition Details. Full-time, permanent opening. Experience required. Well-Established Practice. Seeking a NP/P... more

    15 Days Ago

  • Family Dollar

    Columbus, OH

    Family Dollar | Columbus, OH

    Customer Service Associate. We're seeking a Customer Service Associate to join our team and deliver a great shopping experience for every customer. Duties ... more

    16 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    16 Days Ago

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FAQ about Surgical Pathologist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Surgical Pathologist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Surgical Pathologist roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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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