Here are five points about orthopedic surgeon compensation based on statistics from the Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2011.
1. The largest group reported earning $500,000 or more. Approximately 20 percent of respondents said they received $500,000 or more in compensation, which was the largest single reported compensation bracket. Around 10 percent reported receiving $400,000-$499,000 in 2010, which is about the same percentage of surgeons who reported receiving $100,000 or less last year. Nearly 15 percent of orthopedic surgeon respondents received the median $250,000-$299,000.
2. Most surgeons saw flat 2010 compensation. Orthopedic surgeons generally experienced flat compensation in 2010 compared with 2009, with 49 percent of respondents reporting their earnings were about the same from year to year. Approximately 26 percent of respondents reported earning declines, while 24 percent reported salary increases in 2010 over 2009. Most of those who experienced an increase reported a boost of less than 10 percent, and most of those who reported decreases recorded a decline in less than 10 percent. There were very few orthopedic surgeons who reported a shift of more than 20 percent in either direction.
3. Men earned more than women. The data suggests male orthopedic surgeons earned more than female orthopedic surgeons last year. The median compensation for male orthopedic surgeons was reported at $362,000, which is $86,000 more than the median compensation for female orthopedic surgeons ($276,000). The median earnings for male surgeons were reported as $225,000, which is $65,000 more than the median earnings for female orthopedic surgeons, reported as $160,000.
4. Surgeons in the north central region of the country earned the most. Orthopedic surgeons practicing in the north central region of the country, which includes North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, earned the highest average compensation at $537,500. This is $287,500 more than the lowest compensated region, which was the western region including California and Hawaii. The north central region surgeons also earned at least $100,000 more than the surrounding regions of the northwest ($380,000), south central ($352,500), Great Lakes ($350,000) and southwest ($341,000).
5. Nearly half of orthopedic surgeons feel they are unfairly compensated. Approximately 47 percent of orthopedic surgeon respondents reported feeling fairly compensated, and only 55 percent of physicians across the board felt their compensation was fair. More orthopedic surgeons in employment situations (56 percent) reported feeling fairly compensated than orthopedic surgeons in a practice setting (39 percent). Orthopedic surgeons who were a partner in a private practice reported earning slightly less than $400,000 on average last year, while hospital employees reported earning closer to $500,000.
Read the report on physician compensation.
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1. The largest group reported earning $500,000 or more. Approximately 20 percent of respondents said they received $500,000 or more in compensation, which was the largest single reported compensation bracket. Around 10 percent reported receiving $400,000-$499,000 in 2010, which is about the same percentage of surgeons who reported receiving $100,000 or less last year. Nearly 15 percent of orthopedic surgeon respondents received the median $250,000-$299,000.
2. Most surgeons saw flat 2010 compensation. Orthopedic surgeons generally experienced flat compensation in 2010 compared with 2009, with 49 percent of respondents reporting their earnings were about the same from year to year. Approximately 26 percent of respondents reported earning declines, while 24 percent reported salary increases in 2010 over 2009. Most of those who experienced an increase reported a boost of less than 10 percent, and most of those who reported decreases recorded a decline in less than 10 percent. There were very few orthopedic surgeons who reported a shift of more than 20 percent in either direction.
3. Men earned more than women. The data suggests male orthopedic surgeons earned more than female orthopedic surgeons last year. The median compensation for male orthopedic surgeons was reported at $362,000, which is $86,000 more than the median compensation for female orthopedic surgeons ($276,000). The median earnings for male surgeons were reported as $225,000, which is $65,000 more than the median earnings for female orthopedic surgeons, reported as $160,000.
4. Surgeons in the north central region of the country earned the most. Orthopedic surgeons practicing in the north central region of the country, which includes North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, earned the highest average compensation at $537,500. This is $287,500 more than the lowest compensated region, which was the western region including California and Hawaii. The north central region surgeons also earned at least $100,000 more than the surrounding regions of the northwest ($380,000), south central ($352,500), Great Lakes ($350,000) and southwest ($341,000).
5. Nearly half of orthopedic surgeons feel they are unfairly compensated. Approximately 47 percent of orthopedic surgeon respondents reported feeling fairly compensated, and only 55 percent of physicians across the board felt their compensation was fair. More orthopedic surgeons in employment situations (56 percent) reported feeling fairly compensated than orthopedic surgeons in a practice setting (39 percent). Orthopedic surgeons who were a partner in a private practice reported earning slightly less than $400,000 on average last year, while hospital employees reported earning closer to $500,000.
Read the report on physician compensation.
Read Articles Related to Orthopedic Surgeon Compensation:
12 Statistics on Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon Compensation by Employment Status
7 Statistics on Orthopedic Surgeon Compensation by City
5 Statistics on Sports Medicine Surgeon Compensation