Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Doctoral or professional degree
None
Internship/residency
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Pediatric surgeons are highly trained medical specialists who focus on surgical care for children and adolescents. This career path is small and specialized, with national employment of about 1,000 positions, indicating a relatively limited but defined job market. Projected employment growth of 1.5% suggests modest expansion over time rather than rapid change. Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting the advanced knowledge and skills needed. Success in this career relies on a blend of technical and professional strengths, including fine motor skills, detail orientation, science, and critical and analytical thinking. Strong interpersonal abilities, customer service, and communication skills such as writing and reading also play an important role. Leadership, adaptability, and problem solving and decision making further support long-term success. For individuals prepared for extensive education and training, pediatric surgery can offer a focused, specialized path with clearly defined skill expectations and a concentrated employment base.
Salary data for pediatric surgeons is available for specific locations, which can help job seekers gauge earning potential in different markets. In New York State, the median salary for pediatric surgeons is $378,110. Within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the median salary is $293,440. These two figures show that even within a single broad region, earnings can vary between the statewide level and a specific metropolitan area. This range underscores the importance of considering both state and metro-level salary information when evaluating job offers or planning a move. Because no national median salary is supplied, these New York figures provide the clearest benchmarks in the available data for understanding potential compensation in this field.
Pediatric surgery is a small, specialized occupation with national employment of about 1,000 positions. Projected employment growth for pediatric surgeons is 1.5%. This indicates anticipated expansion in total jobs over time, but at a measured pace rather than rapid growth. Reported annual openings are 0, suggesting that new positions or replacement needs are expected to be limited in number based on the available data. For career planning, this combination of modest growth and very low reported annual openings points to a competitive environment, where positions may be relatively scarce. Prospective pediatric surgeons should be prepared for a focused job search and may benefit from paying close attention to specific regions, such as states or metro areas that show defined employment levels and growth. Overall, the outlook reflects a niche profession with gradual growth and a constrained number of opportunities.
Location can make a significant difference for pediatric surgeons, and the available data highlights New York as a notable market. In New York State, pediatric surgeons have a median salary of $378,110, with employment of 90 and projected growth of 1.5%. The state’s CareerGPS opportunity score is 65.78, indicating a balanced mix of salary, employment, and growth based on the provided metrics. Within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro, the picture shifts somewhat. This metro area reports employment of 110 pediatric surgeons, slightly higher than the statewide figure, and the same 1.5% growth rate. The median salary in the metro is $293,440, lower than the statewide median, but the metro’s opportunity score is 77.27, higher than the state’s. This suggests that, among the locations with data, the metro area may offer a particularly strong combination of factors, even with its lower median salary, while New York State overall remains an important area to consider.
Pediatric surgeons typically need a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting the intensive academic and professional preparation required for this medical specialty. This advanced education supports the development of key skills highlighted for the role. Science, critical and analytical thinking, and problem solving and decision making are central to evaluating complex medical situations and planning surgical care. Fine motor skills and being detail oriented align with the precision needed in surgical procedures. Writing and reading skills support accurate documentation and effective information management. Interpersonal skills, customer service, and leadership help pediatric surgeons work with patients, families, and healthcare teams. Adaptability is important as clinical situations and care needs can change. Together, the doctoral or professional degree and this broad skill set form the foundation for a career in pediatric surgery, combining rigorous academic training with technical, cognitive, and interpersonal strengths.
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