General Surgeon Salary Guide

The average annual general surgeon salary is $229,300 per year in the U.S., according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, surgeons can make a total of $402,000 per year, according to Medscape’s 2023 general surgeon compensation report.  

Medscape reports compensation for general surgeons has overall increased in recent years, making it a lucrative specialty.

Locum tenens general surgeons can make upwards of $250 per hour on average, however, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate that rate over a year (at 40 hours per week), the average locum salary comes out to around $520,000. 

That means locum tenens general surgeons can make up to 73% more than the average provider. That being said, making direct salary comparisons can be complicated. While perm surgeons are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens surgeons are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year. 

Furthermore, because locum tenens general surgeons are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried surgeon’s additional hours may not be reflected in their salary. Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm general surgeon salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance.

The most recent state breakdown of general surgeon salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the BLS was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states. That said, the top 5 highest paying states for general surgeon salaries are:

• Montana (Physician Salary of $239,200+)
• South Dakota  (Physician Salary of $239,200+)
• Wyoming  (Physician Salary of $239,200+)
• Indiana (Physician Salary of $274-330,900)
• Colorado (Physician Salary of $274-330,900)

General surgeons are within the top-earning average annual compensation among healthcare specialties surveyed in the Medscape 2023 compensation report. The top five specialties (plastic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, gastroenterology) all reported annual income of greater than $500,000.

General surgeons salaries have been steadily increasing over the last several years, with a 30% increase in reported salary since 2015. A fair estimate is that surgeons will make a slight increase in their salaries in 2023, meaning that surgeons will make around $432,060 in annual salary in 2024.