Orthopedic surgeons generally work with the muscular and skeletal systems. This includes the joints, bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. They often perform surgery in order to address tumors, traumas, infections, injuries, and other such conditions. So, what do the orthopedic surgeon salary and job description entail?
Some of the conditions most often treated by people with the orthopedic surgeon salary are scoliosis, fractures, dislocations, and arthritis. They usually focus on a specialty – either based on a specific body part, or on a certain topic. Such specialties include sports, trauma, pediatrics, or spinal injuries, hands, elbows, or others.
The data we collected from different websites on the subject was quite different. This is because most medical specialists choose not to reveal their actual salary. Since different specialties are paid differently in the medical community, it’s quite common for there to be animosity between them. So, here is some data about the orthopedic surgeon salary.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the yearly and hourly salary of an orthopedic surgeon sorted by percentile is as below:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $53.57 | More than $90 | More than $90 | More than $90 | More than $90 |
| Annual Wage | $111,420 | More than $187,200 | More than $187,200 | More than $187,200 | More than $187,200 |
Factors that Influence the Orthopedic Surgeon Salary
Just like the salaries of most medical specialties, the average orthopedic surgeon salary is very high. However, it can be strongly influenced by a number of factors. From the industry of the profession to the physical location of the place of employment, all determinants matter. But what are the biggest influencing factors?
The pediatric orthopedic surgeon salary, the orthopedic spine surgeon salary, and even the average salary of an orthopedic surgeon fluctuate based on several factors. The geographic area, the industry, and the level of experience can change the orthopedic surgeon salary by more than $100,000.
Geographic Area
Every city, state, and country has its own economy. They also have their own individual orthopedic and surgical needs. So, we’re going to look at several areas, and see how pleased people with the orthopedic surgeon salary are. Since this article has to be within an allotted word count, we can’t also talk about the UK, Canada, Australia, or any other countries but the United States.
The states with the highest levels of employment for people with the orthopedic surgeon salary are the following:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| California | 5,180 | 0.33 | 1.11 | $114.63 | $238,440 |
| Texas | 2,410 | 0.21 | 0.69 | $116.87 | $243,090 |
| Massachusetts | 2,240 | 0.66 | 2.18 | $111.91 | $232,760 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,970 | 0.34 | 1.14 | $97.77 | $203,350 |
| Florida | 1,940 | 0.24 | 0.81 | $120.62 | $250,880 |
The states offering the highest salaries for the profession are:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Wyoming | 110 | 0.39 | 1.30 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| South Dakota | 280 | 0.69 | 2.27 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Rhode Island | 230 | 0.49 | 1.63 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Oregon | 540 | 0.31 | 1.04 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| North Dakota | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
We have also compiled a table for the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in the US. This way, even those interested in more vaguely distributed information can get something out of this article.
The metropolitan areas which provide the highest employment rates for the profession are the following:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York – Jersey City – White Plains, NYC – NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,550 | 0.24 | 0.80 | $113.38 | $235,840 |
| Boston – Cambridge – Newton, MA NECTA Division | 1,300 | 0.74 | 2.45 | $106.45 | $221,420 |
| Minneapolis – St. Paul – Bloomington, MN – WI | 1,040 | 0.55 | 1.84 | $129.05 | $268,420 |
| Los Angeles – Long Beach – Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,010 | 0.25 | 0.82 | $124.06 | $258,040 |
| Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Roswell, GA | 980 | 0.39 | 1.31 | $128.18 | $266,600 |
| Chicago – Naperville – Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 930 | 0.26 | 0.86 | $122.87 | $255,580 |
| Anaheim – Santa Ana – Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division | 740 | 0.49 | 1.61 | $87.38 | $181,760 |
| San Diego – Carlsbad, CA | 690 | 0.51 | 1.68 | $115.07 | $239,350 |
| Columbus, OH | 680 | 0.68 | 2.24 | $117.66 | $244,720 |
| Washington – Arlington – Alexandria, DC – VA – MD – WV Metropolitan Division | 670 | 0.28 | 0.92 | $99.71 | $207,400 |
The metropolitan areas where you can find the highest orthopedic surgeon salary are:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Worcester, MA-CT | 90 | 0.34 | 1.12 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 110 | 0.54 | 1.80 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Pittsfield, MA | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Manchester, NH | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Dover-Durham, NH-ME | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Wichita, KS | 50 | 0.16 | 0.54 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Wausau, WI | 60 | 0.88 | 2.92 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Trenton, NJ | 70 | 0.32 | 1.07 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 40 | 0.23 | 0.75 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
Meanwhile, the nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment levels for the orthopedic surgeon salary are as follows:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 140 | 0.62 | 2.05 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.33 | 1.11 | $124.10 | $258,120 |
| West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.38 | 1.26 | $118.01 | $245,470 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.48 | 1.60 | $125.47 | $260,980 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.60 | 1.98 | $88.72 | $184,540 |
Last, but certainly not least, the highest orthopedic surgeon salary can be found in the following nonmetropolitan areas:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Northeast Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.68 | 2.24 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.17 | 0.55 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.44 | 1.45 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| South Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | Not released | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 50 | 0.16 | 0.52 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
Experience
One of the biggest determinants when it comes to the orthopedic surgeon salary is experience. Depending on how many years someone in the field has been practicing medicine, their salary can increase significantly. For this, we have compiled an estimated salary path over the course of a career longer than twenty years.
Payscale.com estimated the average orthopedic surgeon starting salary at $316,000. From there, we calculated how it would go up over the course of twenty years on the job. Please note that we did not take into account any bonuses, overtimes, profit sharing or any such extra income sources.
The estimated salary path is as follows:
- From $316,000 to $355,000 after five to ten years on the job;
- From $355,000 to $369,000 after ten to twenty years on the job;
- From $369,000 to $403,000 after more than twenty years of experience.
Industry
The last major factor which influences the orthopedic surgeon salary is the industry of the profession. For example, someone working in a private practice will get a different salary than a veterinary orthopedic surgeon. Similarly, orthopedics also has ties to the neurosurgeon job description, as it involves spinal issues.
Those wishing to find out the industries with the highest employment rate for the profession is:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Offices of Physicians | 33,310 | 1.33 | $123.14 | $256,120 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 5,990 | 0.11 | $102.76 | $213,740 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 960 | 0.13 | $114.26 | $237,670 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 700 | 0.02 | $67.39 | $140,180 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 160 | 0.02 | $97.36 | $202,510 |
Finally, the industries which can provide the highest orthopedic surgeon salary in the Unties States are:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 150 | 0.06 | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | Not released | Not released | More than $90 | More than $187,200 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 30 | Less than .005 | $129.32 | $268,990 |
| Offices of Physicians | 33,310 | 1.33 | $123.14 | $256,120 |
Work Hours
Most people with the orthopedic surgeon salary work very long and odd hours. A single surgery can last as much as a day, so they have to be able to work without interruptions. Orthopedic surgeons often work weekends, nights, and holidays, and being on-call is a must. In fact, like most surgeons, they go on call very often.
Plus, seeing as orthopedic surgeons can work for more than twenty-four hours without breaks, some are hesitant to apply. However, the extremely satisfactory orthopedic surgeon salary more than makes up for the long and tiring hours.
Bonuses and Benefits Packages
When it comes to the orthopedic surgeon salary, additional sources of income can add quite a lot to it. In fact, bonuses can get as high as $101,000 per year, and profit sharing can get anywhere between $4,000 and $127,500. This brings up the orthopedic surgeon salary to even higher limits.
Since it is a job in healthcare, there are plenty of benefits to come with the orthopedic surgeon salary. First of all, people in the profession get a 401(K) plan, as well as a decent number of paid and sick leave days. About 90% get medical insurance, 69% get dental, and 59% get vision. Only 9% get no sort of insurance.
Job Outlook
The employment rate of individuals with the orthopedic surgeon salary is estimated to go up 14% by 2024. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that is much faster than the 8% average for all the nation’s occupations. That is owed to several factors, both extrinsically and intrinsically tied to the job description.
One of the most important factors is the increased efficiency of our medical system. As there are more and more treatments for various conditions, people have started taking advantage of them to live longer. The constant increase of the elderly population is also a big influence.
The orthopedic surgeon salary is one of the highest in the country. And it’s perfectly fair for it to be so. Aside from the educational requirements of becoming a medical specialist, the long work hours certainly contribute. Plus, the respect shown to the profession is also worth it in and of itself.
All of the tables in this article on the orthopedic surgeon salary are courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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