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.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Surgeons, all other, represent a highly specialized medical career with national employment of about 25,000 professionals. The field is projected to grow by 3.9%, indicating that employers are expected to add positions over time. About 1,000 annual openings suggest ongoing opportunities from a combination of new roles and turnover. Typical entry into this career requires a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting the advanced training needed. Salaries vary significantly by location, with some states and metro areas offering notably higher median pay. Key skills for success in this path include being detail oriented, strong problem solving and decision making, science knowledge, fine motor abilities, and critical and analytical thinking. Interpersonal skills, writing and reading, adaptability, leadership, and customer service skills also play an important role. Overall, this career can appeal to students and professionals who are prepared for extensive education and who want a specialized clinical role with a structured but steady growth outlook.
Earnings for surgeons, all other, are strongly influenced by geography. Among the top states ranked by opportunity score, median salaries range from $328,700 in Maryland to $479,460 in Washington. New York reports a median salary of $410,410, Massachusetts $387,150, and Virginia $360,510. At the metro level, pay can be even higher. The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro shows a median of $504,360, while Boulder, CO reports $465,940. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro lists a median salary of $399,990, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is close behind at $386,300. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro has a median of $224,860. These figures highlight how choosing a state or metro can significantly shape earning potential, giving job seekers options to target locations that align with their income goals and preferences.
Nationally, surgeons, all other, employ about 25,000 people, with projected employment growth of 3.9%. This growth suggests a moderate expansion of opportunities over time. With approximately 1,000 annual openings, individuals entering or advancing in this field can expect a regular flow of positions, driven by new job creation and replacement needs. The same 3.9% growth rate appears across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a consistent projection in these regions rather than major contrasts in expected expansion. For students and career changers, these numbers point to a field that is not static, but also not undergoing rapid swings. Combined with the specialized education requirement and skill profile, the employment outlook suggests that those who complete the necessary training and build strong competencies can compete for a stable number of openings each year.
Location choices can significantly shape the experience of surgeons, all other, in terms of pay levels, employment counts, and opportunity scores. Among states, Washington reports the highest median salary at $479,460, while Massachusetts and New York show $387,150 and $410,410 respectively. Virginia and Maryland offer median salaries of $360,510 and $328,700. Employment levels vary as well: New York has 4,540 employed, compared with 770 in Massachusetts, 520 in Maryland, 370 in Washington, and 260 in Virginia. Opportunity scores range from about 52.88 in Maryland up to 65.87 in Massachusetts and 65.78 in New York. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area stands out with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $399,990, and employment of 4,290. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Boulder, CO combine relatively high median salaries with solid opportunity scores, offering additional targets for geographically flexible job seekers.
The typical education requirement for surgeons, all other, is a doctoral or professional degree. This reflects the depth of scientific, technical, and clinical preparation needed before practicing in this role. The skill profile aligns closely with this advanced education. Science knowledge, critical and analytical thinking, and strong problem solving and decision making are core to success. Fine motor skills support the hands-on, precise nature of the work. Being detail oriented helps ensure accuracy, while strong writing and reading skills support documentation and understanding complex information. Interpersonal and customer service skills are also important, reflecting the need to interact effectively with patients and colleagues. Adaptability and leadership round out the profile, supporting work in evolving clinical environments and team-based settings. For students planning their path, this means preparing for a long, rigorous educational journey combined with the development of both cognitive and interpersonal strengths.
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