While spine surgeons are often well compensated no matter what state they practice in, some states rank higher than others for specialists across several key metrics, including pay, competition and more.
Based on those metrics, here are six states where spine surgeons are expected to thrive.
Mississippi is the highest paying state for physicians based on cost of living. Specialists in the state earn nearly $400,000 on average annually, according to personal finance website WalletHub.
In addition, Mississippi was also predicted to be the least competitive state for physicians to practice in by 2032.
Massachusetts is the highest-paying state for spine surgeons, specifically, with specialists earning an average annual salary of $381,289, as of 2023.
Montana was named the top state for physicians to practice in when accounting for 19 key quality metrics, including compensation, burnout, malpractice rates and more.
In Wyoming, physicians who face malpractice claims have the smallest payouts on average.
Florida and California tie for the two states with the most top-rated orthopedic and spine ASCs in 2025. These two states give spine surgeons the most opportunity to practice at a top-ranked institution.
