Here are nine things to know about specialist compensation within the past year.
1. Among physicians, neurosurgeons make among the top salaries at $591,767 on average.
2. Experienced spine surgeons are more enthusiastic about cost containment than newer spine surgeons.
3. While orthopedic surgeons typically are among the most highly compensated specialists, orthopedic residents report lower compensation than their peers in many other specialties.
4. Only 5 percent of orthopedic surgeons are women, and while male orthopedists earn on average $507,000 per year, female orthopedists earn on average considerably less at $364,000 a year.
5. In the last five years, primary care physician salary increased at a rate almost double that of specialty physicians' compensation.
6. The median annual sports medicine physician salary is $223,631, and the average salary bonus equals $252,182.
7. Self-employed orthopedists earn an average of $38,000 more than employed orthopedists.
8. A little more than half of orthopedic surgeons — 51 percent — said they felt they were fairly compensated in Medscape's 2018 Physician Compensation Report.
9. Orthopedics ranked No. 2 in highest compensation out of 29 physician specialties.