How much does a kids' surgeon make?
a year · about $269 an hour
A typical kids' surgeon in the United States makes $559,030 a year, about $269 an hour, about 11× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They review children with the care team, explain the plan to families, then operate to repair injuries or birth defects. Between operations, they check recovery and plan care with specialists; on-call work may bring night emergencies.
Did you know? Some pediatric surgeons also operate on babies before birth, while they are still in the womb, to treat serious birth defects.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $215,410 and $726,660How do you become one?
Finish college and 4 years of medical school, pass licensing and board exams, then train 5 years in general surgery and 2 in pediatric surgery. In the U.S., you need a state license; from high school, this takes about 15 years (often to age 33).
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ with experience and board certification, whether you work for a hospital or a doctor’s office, and where the job is. Complex or specialized operations and long, overnight, or on-call shifts can also affect pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Ohio ($488,160), lowest in New Jersey ($288,930).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $215,410 | $559,030 | $726,660 | about 1,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $488,160 | — |
| New York | $378,110 | about 90 |
| New Jersey | $288,930 | — |
Official definition: Diagnose and perform surgery to treat fetal abnormalities and birth defects, diseases, and injuries in fetuses, premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents. Includes all pediatric surgical specialties and subspecialties. Excludes “Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons” (29-1022), “Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric” (29-1241), and “Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric” (29-1242).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Physicians-and-surgeons.htm
- www.absurgery.org/get-certified/pediatric-surgery/training-requirements
- www.acgme.org/globalassets/pfassets/programrequirements/2025-reformatted-require
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1243.00
- www.chop.edu/treatments/fetal-surgery
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY