General surgeons working in the United States typically earn salaries in the range from $99,812 to $353,761 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
A general surgeon’s annual income depends on a variety of factors, from location, employer type, and work setting to years of experience in the field. Professionals employed by Kaiser Permanente typically earn an annual pay in the range from $260,000 to $305,184 a year.
General surgeons are among the best paid professionals in the United States, with a median yearly salary of $260,000, and top salaries for the profession reaching $412,000 a year according to a report by CNN Money.
Medscape’s 2013 General Surgeon Compensation Report reveals that 44% of professionals included in the survey did not see their annual salaries change from the previous year. 32% of the surgeons surveyed saw their salaries decrease, while 24% reported an increase in yearly income.
Average salary
The average salary for general surgeons employed in the United States is $250,765 a year according to Payscale’s salary statistics, and $279,000 according to Medscape’s 2013 General Surgeon Compensation Report. Men earn 29% more than women: the median annual salary for men is $290,000 a year, while women are paid $225,000 a year on average.
General surgeons’ average salary varies depending on geographical location. The best paid general surgeons are those based in the North Central region, where the median annual salary for this occupation is $340,000 a year, followed by professionals working in the Southwest, who earn $304,000 a year on average.
General surgeons employed in the Great Lakes region earn $295,000 a year on average, those working in the Northwest make $288,000 annually, and professionals based in the North East have a median annual pay of $276,000. General surgeons working in the South Central region earn around $273,000 a year, and those in the Mid-Atlantic region are paid around $271,000 a year.
The lowest salaries for the profession are in the Southeast, where general surgeons earn $265,000 a year on average, and in the West, where the median annual salary for this occupation is $258,000 a year according to Medscape.
General surgeons’ salaries also vary depending on these professionals’ work setting. General surgeons working in multispecialty group practices have the highest salaries, $338,000 a year on average, followed by those working in single-specialty group practices, who earn around $311,000 a year. General surgeons employed by healthcare organizations have a median annual salary of $310,000, while professionals who work at hospitals make $262,000 a year on average.
Surgeons working at outpatient clinics are paid around $247,000 a year, and professionals working in a solo practice make $238,000 a year on average.
General surgeons working in an academic setting have an average yearly salary of $221,000, and professionals employed in other settings are paid $201,000 annually on average according to Medscape’s 2013 salary report.
Work situation is another factor that affects a general surgeon’s salary. Professionals who are partners in their organization have the top salaries, $321,000 a year on average, while general surgeons who are employees in their organization make $277,000 annually on average. Owners of solo practices earn around $241,000 a year, and general surgeons who work as independent contractors have an average annual salary of $216,000 according to Medscape’s salary survey.
Starting salary
The starting salary for general surgeons working in the United States, who are in their first year on the job, is typically in the range from $45,302 to $304,108 a year according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Salary by state
General surgeons’ salaries can vary significantly from state to state. Professionals employed in New York report salaries in the range from $98,633 to $384,379 a year, those based in California typically earn between $91,916 and $357,523 annually, and general surgeons working in Illinois are paid between $46,721 and $405,985 a year.
Surgeons employed in Florida earn salaries in the range from $91,916 to $327,787 annually, and those based in Texas report earning an annual income in the range between $55,643 and $339,353. General surgeons living in Virginia typically earn between $145,000 and $375,000 a year, and those working in Pennsylvania generally report an annual pay in the range from $193,916 to $334,972 according to the salary data provided by Payscale.
Salary by city
General surgeons’ annual pay can also vary from city to city. For example, professionals working in New York typically earn between $51,521 and $401,335 a year, those based in Los Angeles are paid between $140,000 and $300,000 annually, and general surgeons employed in Chicago report annual salaries in the range from $123,566 to $209,928 according to Payscale’s salary data.
General surgeons based in Boston generally make between $98,264 and $254,341 a year, and those working in Miami earn salaries in the range from $90,000 to $190,000 a year. The salary range for professionals employed in Atlanta goes from $45,000 to $274,000 annually, while general surgeons working in Phoenix typically earn an annual pay in the range from $199,989 to $300,000 a year according to Payscale.
Benefits
General surgeons’ benefits packages can sometimes reflect their annual income. Professionals who get 401(k) plans typically earn between $148,479 and $349,221 a year, while those who get malpractice and liability insurance as part of their package generally make between $147,461 and $354,465 a year. General surgeons who get paid vacations typically earn between $123,650 and $358,946 annually, and those who get paid sick leave are paid between $176,714 and $399,111 a year.
Professionals who get 403(b) plans report annual salaries in the range from $209,524 to $391,486, while those who get reimbursement for education, tuition, certification, or professional trainings typically earn between $153,193 and $357,450 annually according to the salary data provided by Payscale.
Salary range
General surgeon salaries can vary significantly depending on professional experience. Professionals with 1 to 4 years of experience typically earn between $79,189 and $312,184 a year, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are generally paid between $98,986 and $360,049 annually. General surgeons with 10 to 19 years of experience under their belt report an annual income in the range from $104,160 to $358,946, and those with 20 or more years of experience typically make between $146,807 and $348,036 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Professionals with a certification from the American Board of Surgery (ABS) report salaries in the range from $100,784 to $360,574 a year. Men report annual earnings in the range from $155,000 to $354,172, while women typically earn between $82,682 and $322,820 annually.
Medscape’s 2013 General Surgeon Compensation Report reveals that these professionals can earn anywhere from less than $100,000 a year to $600,000 and more. The highest percentage of general surgeons (17%) report salaries in the range between $300,000 and $350,000 a year. 12% are paid $100,000 a year or less, while 1% report earning $600,000 or more annually.
On the lower end of the scale, 2% of general surgeons are paid between $100,000 and $150,000 per annum, and 11% have salaries in the range from $150,000 to $200,000 a year. 13% of these professionals earn between $200,000 and $250,000 a year, and 15% report being paid an annual salary in the range between $250,000 and $300,000 a year.
On the higher end of the scale, 5% of general surgeons earn between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, a further 5% report annual earnings in the range between $450,000 and $500,000, and 8% of professionals are paid between $400,000 and $450,000 annually. The remaining 11% of the general surgeons included in Medscape’s annual survey report being paid between $350,000 and $400,000 a year.
Hourly wage
General surgeons employed in general hospitals typically earn between $12.50 and $67.50 per hour according to Payscale’s salary statistics. The average hourly rate for general surgeons working in the health care industry is generally in the range from $32.50 to $102.50. Professionals employed by hospitals make between $7.82 and $124.16 per hour.
Other income factors
Area of specialty is another significant factor in determining a general surgeon’s salary. For example, professionals who specialize in surgery earn between $117,916 and $239,891 a year, those specializing in general surgery make between $98,005 and $345,911 a year, and surgeons specializing in bariatrics report salaries in the range from $197,151 to $279,775 a year according to Payscale.
General surgeons’ salaries also vary depending on hospital setting. General surgeons working at general hospitals typically earn between $101,064 and $344,731 a year, those employed at physicians’ offices and private practices are generally paid between $96,339 and $339,461 annually, and professionals working in ambulatory care and surgery centers report an annual income in the range from $81,951 to $297,500 according to Payscale’s salary data.
Industry is another factor that affects the salary of a general surgeon. Professionals working in the health care industry generally earn between $117,763 and $353,925 a year, and those working at hospitals report salaries in the range from $98,670 to $345,714 a year. General surgeons working in acute care hospitals are typically paid between $120,413 and $322,820 annually, and those working in general surgery earn between $54,095 and $331,359 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
General surgeons’ income is also affected by employer type. Surgeons working at hospitals earn between $96,918 and $350,766 a year, those employed by private practices report an annual salary in the range from $116,350 to $312,333, and professionals employed by companies generally have salaries in the range from $100,000 to $333,329 a year.
General surgeons who work for non-profit organizations make between $187,402 and $354,786 a year, and those employed by universities and colleges make between $46,452 and $360,000 annually. Professionals working for the federal government are typically paid between $90,604 and $297,988 annually, and those employed by the state or local government report annual salaries in the range from $235,832 to $294,339. General surgeons who are self-employed generally earn between $97,871 and $360,647 a year according to the salary statistics provided by Payscale.