How much does a surgeon make?
Answer: A typical surgeon in the United States makes $414,010 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 25,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Surgeon pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $80,320 | $414,010 | $655,320 | about 25,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $554,220 | about 980 |
| Illinois | $438,010 | about 620 |
| Wisconsin | $416,000 | about 550 |
| New York | $410,410 | about 5,000 |
| Massachusetts | $387,150 | about 770 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, surgeons’ pay can differ with experience and credentials, their surgical specialty, employer, and location. Full-time hours, overnight shifts, and emergency on-call work can also affect earnings.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a surgeon do?
All surgeons not listed separately. Excludes “Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons” (29-1022).
What's a typical day like?
Surgeons may start by checking charts and visiting patients, then scrub in with nurses and specialists. Between operations, they explain care, update records, and check recovering patients; emergencies can change the plan.
How to get this job
In the US, finish college and medical school (MD or DO), then at least five years of general-surgery residency; some add a fellowship. Pass licensing exams and meet state rules; a straight-through path often starts practice around age 30.
Did you know?
To qualify for US general-surgery board certification, residents must keep a record of at least 850 operations they perform as a surgeon during five years of training.
Earn more in the same field
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
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/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291249.htm
- www.absurgery.org/get-certified/general-surgery/training-requirements
- www.chop.edu/news/day-life-surgical-fellow
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY