Orthopedic Surgeons Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

The median orthopedic surgeons salary in the United States is $358,550 per year ($172.38/hour). Salaries range from $84,170 at the entry level to $659,290+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 14,100 orthopedic surgeons jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asOrthopedic SurgeonOrthopedist
Median Salary
$358,550
per year
Hourly Rate
$172.38
per hour
Employment
14,100
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$84,170
25th percentile
$180,610
Median
$358,550
75th percentile
$530,700
90th percentile
$659,290

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+4.1%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

400
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Training Needed

Internship/residency

Orthopedic Surgeons Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for orthopedic surgeonss.

Orthopedic Surgeons diagnose + surgically treat musculoskeletal conditions β€” joints, bones, spine, tendons, muscles. Career splits: general orthopedics (mix of joints, sports, trauma, hand, foot/ankle), sub-specialty (sports medicine, joint replacement, spine, hand, foot/ankle, oncology, trauma). Path: 4 yrs med school + 5-year orthopedic residency + optional 1-year fellowship. Ortho consistently one of the highest-paid physician specialties. Career splits: hospital-employed ($480-750k), private practice group ($500k-$1.5M+ partners), academic ($350-550k + research), sports team physician (bonus prestige + income), workers comp / IME (specialty). Sports medicine + joint replacement + spine highest-paying sub-specialties.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Surgical technique (arthroscopy + open procedures)
Arthroscopic knee/shoulder/hip/ankle. Open joint replacement + spine + trauma. Volume matters β€” 500+ cases/year typical.
Musculoskeletal anatomy + biomechanics
Deep knowledge of anatomy, kinematics, fracture patterns, tissue healing.
Imaging interpretation (X-ray, CT, MRI)
Ortho radiology + advanced imaging correlation with physical exam.
Non-operative management
Injection therapy (corticosteroid, viscosupplementation, PRP), bracing, PT + rehab coordination.
Trauma + fracture management
ORIF (open reduction internal fixation), external fixation, damage control orthopedics. Trauma call responsibility.
Joint replacement (arthroplasty)
Hip + knee + shoulder replacement. Robotic-assisted procedures increasingly standard (Mako, ROSA, Navio).
Sports medicine + arthroscopy
Knee (ACL, meniscus), shoulder (rotator cuff), hip preservation. Athletes at all levels.
Practice + business management
Private practice ownership. Payer contracts. ASC (Ambulatory Surgery Center) equity.

How to Become a Orthopedic Surgeons

  1. 1
    Bachelor's + strong MCAT (512+) + medical school
    Standard med school. Very strong Step scores + orthopedic rotation performance essential.
  2. 2
    Orthopedic Residency (5 years)
    Extremely competitive match. PGY-1-5. High-volume surgical training.
  3. 3
    Optional Fellowship (1 year β€” Sports, Joints, Spine, Hand, Foot/Ankle, Oncology, Trauma)
    Fellowship now standard for most jobs. Sports + Joints + Spine most competitive + best paying.
  4. 4
    Board Certification (ABOS β€” American Board of Orthopedic Surgery)
    Written boards after residency + Oral boards after 2 years of practice.
  5. 5
    State medical license + DEA + hospital credentialing
    State licensing + DEA + hospital privileges.
  6. 6
    First attending role β€” hospital-employed / private group / academic
    Private groups partnership-based (2-3 year track). Employed models growing.
  7. 7
    Partnership + practice ownership + ASC equity
    Full career upside from ASC ownership + practice buy-in.

Career Progression

Resident (PGY-1 to PGY-5)
0-5 yrs$65-88k/year salary
  • β€’Progressive surgical autonomy
  • β€’80-hour work weeks
  • β€’Board prep
Next: Fellowship or attending.
Fellow
5-6 yrs$85-105k
  • β€’Sub-specialty training
  • β€’Research
  • β€’Building expertise
Next: Sub-specialty attending.
Attending Orthopedist (New / Employed)
0-5 post-training yrs$480-650k Β· Sub-specialty $550-800k
  • β€’Independent practice + call
  • β€’Building referral network
  • β€’Fellowship complete for most
Next: Partner.
Senior Attending / Partner / Sub-specialist
5-15 yrs$650k-$1.2M Β· Sports / Joints / Spine top $900k-$1.6M+
  • β€’Established practice + high volume
  • β€’ASC equity + partnership
  • β€’Complex + revision cases
Next: Chief / Owner.
Practice Owner / Chief / Sports Team Physician
15+ yrs$800k-$2M+ Β· Team physician bonus $50-500k
  • β€’Practice ownership + P&L
  • β€’Sports team affiliation (NFL, NBA, MLB, college)
  • β€’Regional reputation

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 11 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your case volume.case
Concrete: sports arthroscopy (200-400), joint replacements (100-300), trauma (100-500), etc. + sub-specialty focus. Screens for real training.
Q2. How do you approach an ACL reconstruction?technical
Concrete: Graft choice (BTB, hamstring, allograft) based on patient + activity. Tunnel positioning (anatomic femoral + tibial). Fixation. Rehab protocol. Return to sport criteria. Screens for sports medicine expertise.
Q3. Tell me about a complication you managed.behavioral
STAR. Real complication (infection, DVT, nerve injury, hardware failure). Ownership + patient communication + M&M. Screens for accountability.
Q4. Why our practice / hospital?culture
Research: case mix, sub-specialty needs, ASC, growth. Concrete citation. Screens for genuine fit.
Q5. How do you decide when to operate vs conservative management?case
Concrete: Failed conservative measures + functional impact + realistic surgical outcome expectations + patient preference. Never operate without indication. Screens for surgical judgment.

Resume Template β€” Attending Orthopedist (0-5 yrs post-fellowship)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Attending Orthopedist (0-5 yrs post-fellowship)
  • β–ΈAttending Orthopedist, [Practice/Hospital]. Board eligible ABOS. Sports Medicine Fellowship (2024).
  • β–Έ2024 case volume: 320 ACL reconstructions + 180 knee arthroscopies + 120 hip/knee arthroplasties.
  • β–ΈZero infections + zero deep vein thrombosis + zero pulmonary embolism over past 12 months.
  • β–ΈTeam physician for [college/high school] athletic program. Precept 3 residents on sports rotation.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Weak surgical case volume during residency or fellowship.
  • βœ—Missing sub-specialty fellowship (competitive market now expects fellowship).
  • βœ—Board complaints or malpractice history without disclosure.
  • βœ—Poor imaging + differential diagnosis skills.
  • βœ—Bad-mouthing prior program or partners.
  • βœ—Weak understanding of practice economics + ASC.
  • βœ—Poor OR + team communication.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Base + productivity (wRVU or collections).
  • βœ“Sign-on bonus $50-200k common.
  • βœ“Loan repayment $100-300k over 3-5 years.
  • βœ“Trauma / call coverage pay $2-5k/day.
  • βœ“ASC equity opportunity (huge lever).
  • βœ“Sports team affiliation + bonus.
  • βœ“Partnership track 2-3 years with buy-in.
  • βœ“Malpractice tail coverage.
  • βœ“CME + travel budget $10-20k/year.
  • βœ“Non-compete radius + duration.
  • βœ“Practice building equity.

Orthopedic Surgeons Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired orthopedic surgeonss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Orthopedic Surgeons Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 11 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

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Orthopedic Surgeons Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$178K
$843Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Missouri
$843K
+135%
West Virginia
$598K
+67%
Wisconsin
$572K
+60%
Montana
$561K
+56%
Arizona
$559K
+56%
New Hampshire
$556K
+55%
Washington
$553K
+54%
Mississippi
$544K
+52%
Minnesota
$538K
+50%
Oklahoma
$530K
+48%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Missouri$842,800+135.1%
West Virginia$597,740+66.7%
Wisconsin$572,060+59.5%
Montana$560,820+56.4%
Arizona$558,970+55.9%
New Hampshire$555,670+55.0%
Washington$553,310+54.3%
Mississippi$544,130+51.8%
Minnesota$537,830+50.0%
Oklahoma$530,070+47.8%
1–10 of 31

Orthopedic Surgeons Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Springfield, MO$869,540+142.5%
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$726,990+102.8%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$666,930+86.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$576,130+60.7%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$572,910+59.8%
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$558,970+55.9%
Omaha, NE-IA$534,820+49.2%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$529,890+47.8%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$524,350+46.2%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$523,610+46.0%
1–10 of 32
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A orthopedic surgeons earning $358,550/year would need 166 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 178 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how orthopedic surgeons salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Orthopedic Surgeons salary trend (2011–2024) β†’