Here are 15 statistics about orthopedic and spine surgeon pay in 2024:
1. The average annual salary for orthopedic surgeons surpasses the living wage in the majority of states.
2. Here is how the mean annual wage for orthopedic surgeons stacks up to four other physician specialties:
Orthopedic surgeons: $378,250
Cardiologists: $423,250
Anesthesiologists: $339,470
Ophthalmologists: $312,120
All other surgeons: $343,990
3. Average compensation for orthopedic surgeons saw a 2.6% decrease between 2023 and 2024, while inflation is currently down by 0.7% from last year.
4. Orthopedic pay remained the third highest-paid specialty from 2022 and increased, according to Doximity's Physician Compensation Report 2024. The average orthopedic surgery salary according to Doximity's 2023 Physician Compensation Report was $624,023.
5. Orthopedic surgeons earn $271.85 in Minnesota, the highest hourly wage for this role of any state.
6. The average annual salary for orthopedic surgeons in Minnesota is $565,450, making it the highest-paying state for the profession.
7. Orthopedic surgeons earn the most money at outpatient care centers.
8. The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md., area is the highest-paying metropolitan region for orthopedic surgeons.
9. The highest-paying nonmetropolitan areas for orthopedic surgeons include South Central Wisconsin, West Central-Southwest New Hampshire and Central New Hampshire.
10. Metropolitan areas with fewer than 250,000 people net higher compensations for spine surgeons with a median salary of $882,502. Meanwhile more densely populated cities see average salaries between $589,540 and $831,366.
11. Spine surgeons earned around 7% more in multispecialty practices than single-specialty practices, according to MGMA. Those in physician-owned facilities earned about 5% more than spine surgeons in hospitals.
12. Approximately 28% of orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons have a net worth of over $5 million in 2024, according to Medscape's 2024 "Physician Wealth and Debt Report."
13. The average orthopedic spine surgeon salary nationwide is $844,422, according to the 2022 Medical Group Management Association Compensation & Production Report.
14. Orthopedic surgeons saw salary dips between 2018 and 2019 and 2023 and 2024, according to data from Medscape's yearly compensation reports. From 2020 to 2021, the salary remained stagnant.
15. Orthopedic surgeons make an average of $565,450 in Minnesota, the highest earning state, compared to the average household income of $109,737.