Surgeon
Also known as: General Surgeon, Surgical Specialist, Operating Surgeon
Perform operations to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities, requiring precision, stamina, and decisive action under pressure.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for surgeons.
About 1 in 200 reaches this level
About 49,380 surgeons in the US (BLS 29-1240); neurosurgery (~3,700 practitioners) is the top-paying surgical field with median comp ~$900K (MGMA/salarydr), but only the elite private-practice tier — roughly 250 surgeons (~0.5%) — consistently clears $1M.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a doctoral/professional degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI-assisted robotic surgery is expanding rapidly — over 2.63 million procedures on da Vinci systems in 2025 (up 17%), and AI surgical planning and pathology reading are compressing how many surgeons are needed per case volume. The AAMC projects a shortfall of 10,000-19,900 surgeons by 2036 with 25% of current surgeons over 65. The 10-14 year training pipeline, FDA-mandated human oversight, and growing surgical demand from an aging population mean AI productivity gains are absorbed by retirements and demographics.
Sources
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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