On average, surgeons make an average salary of $239,200 a year and an average hourly wage of $115 an hour.
Becoming a surgeon might be a difficult endeavor, but it proves worth it in the end. Not only is being a surgeon a rewarding field of work where you get to help people, but it also pays very well. Surgeons have one of the highest-paying jobs making an estimated $172,578 more a year than the average American.
What Do Surgeons Do?
A surgeon is a physician who uses their expertise to primarily perform surgeries. They are specialized doctors who focus their education and medical practices on performing surgeries. They operate on lots of ailments from broken bones, removing cancerous tumors, and hip replacements.
Surgeons can either become a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
Becoming a Medical Doctor (MD) lets them practice conventional (allopathic) medicine.
Becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) lets them practice osteopathic (more holistic) medicine.
Surgeons can also specialize in certain kinds of surgeries. For example, orthopedic surgery involves the musculoskeletal system, neurological surgery involves the brain and nervous system, cardiovascular surgery has to do with the cardiovascular system, and plastic or reconstructive surgery often involves fixing cosmetic or functional issues.
How to Become a Surgeon
Medical professionals undergo some of the longest processes for becoming doctors and surgeons. But these professionals also come with the biggest payouts in the end. Literally!
1. Get a Bachelor's Degree (4 years)
The first thing you'll need to do on your journey to become a surgeon is to get a bachelor's degree from an accredited post-secondary university. A bachelor’s degree usually takes about 4 years to complete.
You'll want to major and minor in subjects that will help you pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and help give you a knowledge base for medical school. Some good subjects to study include science, biology, health science, chemistry, physics, and kinesiology.
Another thing you'll need to do during these 4 years is to take pre-med course requirements and healthcare experiences. You'll need to have both of these things for your application to medical school.
Talk to your school and make sure you know what courses are required for you to take and look into doing internships, job shadowing, and volunteer experience at your local health facilities.
2. Pass the MCAT in Your Senior Year of College
Now it is time to take and pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). You'll take this test in your senior year at college.
It takes some people a couple of attempts to pass the MCAT. You can take the MCAT 3 times in a year, 4 times in 2 years, and 7 times altogether. There are also plenty of helpful resources out there to help you practice for this exam.
3. Enroll in Medical School (4 years)
Once you pass the MCAT you can enroll in medical school for another 4 years of education. In medical school, you will complete a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. As stated above, an MD lets you practice allopathic medicine while a DO lets you do osteopathic medicine.
In medical school, you will learn all things related to medicinal practices. You'll learn subjects like biochemistry, physiology, human anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, microbiology, and preventative medicine.
In your last 2 years at medical school, you'll start doing clinical rotations with the supervision of experienced doctors. This will help ease you into getting real first-hand, medical experience.
4. Complete a Surgical Residency (5 years)
After you finish medical school it will be time to complete a surgical residency. This is where you can start to specialize in a certain area of surgery like orthopedic, neurological, cardiovascular, thoracic, obstetrical, pediatric, or reconstructive surgery.
You will do all this while still under the guidance of other experienced surgeons. A surgical residency usually lasts about 5 years.
5. Get Licensed
Now that you have finished your surgical residency you can get licensed and board certified.
The requirements for a surgical license will depend on the requirements and process of the state where you want to practice. But usually, to get your surgical license you will need the following:
- Graduate medical school
- Complete your residency
- Pass an examination
There are 2 types of examinations you will need to pass to get your surgical license, depending on whether you got an MD or a DO.
- Medical Doctor (MD) Exam: US Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Exam: Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX)
How Long Does It Take to Become a Surgeon?
After getting a bachelor's degree, going through medical school, and completing your residency, it can take you up to 13 years to become a surgeon.
How Much Do Surgeons Make?
How Much Do Surgeons Make a Year?
The lowest 10% of surgeons make $187,000 a year, the median annual wage for surgeons is $318,000 a year, and the highest 10% of surgeons make $469,000 a year.
How much you earn as a surgeon can also depend on the type of surgeon you become. For instance, pediatric surgeons make an average annual salary of $449,320, cardiologists make $423,250 a year, orthopedic surgeons make $378,250 a year, ophthalmologists make $312,120 a year, and neurologists make $271,470 a year.
How Much Do Surgeons Make in a Month?
On average, surgeons in the lower 10% of their earning potential can expect to make about $15,583 a month, surgeons on average make about $26,500 a month, and surgeons in the highest 10% make an average of $39,083 a month.
How Much Do Surgeons Make in a Week?
On average, surgeons make about $115 an hour, meaning that if a surgeon works a regular 40-hour workweek, they can make about $4,600 a week.
This means that surgeons in the lower 10% can expect to make about $784.80 a week, surgeons in the median pay range can make about $2,387.20 a week, and surgeons in the highest 90% make about $6,668.80 a week.
Surgeons Pay by Location
Surgeons Pay by Experience Level
Surgeons with more experience can also make more than surgeons with less experience. For example, surgeons with less than 1 year experience can make about $280,618, 1 to 4 years of experience can make about $302,342, 5 to 9 years of experience make $320,008, 10 to 19 years of experience make $332,652, and lawyers with 20 years or more make about $348,250 a year.
