29 Series · SOC 29-1242

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$358,550
Median / year
$659,290
Top 10% earn
+4.1%
Growth '23–'33
14,100
US workers

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric earn a median of $358,550 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $358,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $84,170 (10th percentile) to $659,290 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 14,100 US workers. Missouri pays the most ($842,800), since pay varies by state and metro area.

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
Share: Post LinkedIn

The pay verdict

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric earn a median of $358,550, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 99% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #6 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% by 2033.

$358,550
Median annual wage
Top 1%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#6 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
7.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Missouri at $842,800. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric (SOC 29-1242) pays a national median of $358,550 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $84,170 at the 10th percentile to $659,290 at the 90th, with a mean of $373,570 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 14,100 Americans work in this occupation across 31 reporting states and 34 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree and internship/residency of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Missouri pays the highest state median at $842,800, which is +135% above the national figure. The top metro is Springfield, MO at $869,540 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 14,100 jobs Median $358,550/yr

Median Salary

$358,550

per year

Median Hourly

$172.38/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$373,570

average

Employment

14,100

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$358,550 Top 1% higher than 99% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). This entry sits in this band. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric sits on the slower-growing side at +4.1% growth and $358,550 median pay.

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric sits on the slower-growing side at +4.1% growth and $358,550 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$100000$200000$300000$400000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric sits on the slower-growing side at +4.1% growth and $358,550 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.1%

About average

Annual Openings

400

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Doctoral or professional degree

On-the-Job Training

Internship/residency

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Analyze patient's medical history, medication allergies, physical condition, and examination results to verify operation's necessity and to determine best procedure.
  • ▸ Conduct research to develop and test surgical techniques that can improve operating procedures and outcomes related to musculoskeletal injuries and diseases.
  • ▸ Diagnose bodily disorders and orthopedic conditions, and provide treatments, such as medicines and surgeries, in clinics, hospital wards, or operating rooms.
  • ▸ Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  • ▸ Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, assistants, specialists, residents, and other medical staff.
  • ▸ Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.
  • ▸ Examine patient to obtain information on medical condition and surgical risk.
  • ▸ Follow established surgical techniques during the operation.
  • ▸ Manage surgery services, including planning, scheduling and coordination, determination of procedures, or procurement of supplies and equipment.
  • ▸ Operate on patient's musculoskeletal system to correct deformities, repair injuries, prevent and treat diseases, or improve or restore patient's functions.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$84,170$180,610$358,550$530,700$659,290
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$40.46$86.83$172.38$255.15$316.97
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$84,170

25th Percentile

$180,610

Median

$358,550

75th Percentile

$530,700

90th Percentile

$659,290

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Missouri $842,800 2. West Virginia $597,740 3. Wisconsin $572,060 4. Montana $560,820 5. Arizona $558,970

Lowest Paying States

27. Indiana $177,710 28. Iowa $189,410 29. Texas $200,780 30. California $253,430 31. Arkansas $262,470
View all 31 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Missouri $842,800 +135% above national
2 West Virginia $597,740 +67% above national
3 Wisconsin $572,060 +60% above national
4 Montana $560,820 +56% above national
5 Arizona $558,970 +56% above national
6 New Hampshire $555,670 +55% above national
7 Washington $553,310 +54% above national
8 Mississippi $544,130 +52% above national
9 Minnesota $537,830 +50% above national
10 Oklahoma $530,070 +48% above national
11 Nebraska $507,770 +42% above national
12 Virginia $478,710 +34% above national
13 Georgia $474,820 +32% above national
14 Florida $473,750 +32% above national
15 Illinois $426,580 +19% above national
16 New York $414,290 +16% above national
17 Michigan $413,450 +15% above national
18 Massachusetts $392,300 +9% above national
19 Colorado $385,410 +7% above national
20 Pennsylvania $354,020 1% below national
21 New Jersey $341,430 5% below national
22 Tennessee $325,520 9% below national
23 Alabama $324,570 9% below national
24 North Carolina $323,630 10% below national
25 Ohio $323,480 10% below national
26 Kansas $311,630 13% below national
27 Arkansas $262,470 27% below national
28 California $253,430 29% below national
29 Texas $200,780 44% below national
30 Iowa $189,410 47% below national
31 Indiana $177,710 50% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Springfield, MO $869,540 2. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $726,990 3. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $666,930 4. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $576,130 5. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $572,910

Lowest Paying Metros

30. Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $70,610 31. Morgantown, WV $71,800 32. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $75,720 33. Rochester, NY $77,150 34. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $83,160
View all 34 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Springfield, MO $869,540 +143% above national
2 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $726,990 +103% above national
3 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $666,930 +86% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $576,130 +61% above national
5 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $572,910 +60% above national
6 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $558,970 +56% above national
7 Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $543,410 +52% above national
8 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $543,400 +52% above national
9 Omaha, NE-IA $534,820 +49% above national
10 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $529,890 +48% above national
11 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $524,350 +46% above national
12 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $523,610 +46% above national
13 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $478,700 +34% above national
14 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $446,510 +25% above national
15 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $396,920 +11% above national
16 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $392,300 +9% above national
17 Worcester, MA $391,930 +9% above national
18 Lincoln, NE $365,830 +2% above national
19 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $341,810 5% below national
20 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $341,430 5% below national
21 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $334,250 7% below national
22 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $325,520 9% below national
23 Cleveland, OH $323,480 10% below national
24 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $312,610 13% below national
25 Jonesboro, AR $269,990 25% below national
26 Lexington-Fayette, KY $256,240 29% below national
27 Boulder, CO $211,600 41% below national
28 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $204,290 43% below national
29 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $203,890 43% below national
30 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $83,160 77% below national
31 Rochester, NY $77,150 78% below national
32 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $75,720 79% below national
33 Morgantown, WV $71,800 80% below national
34 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $70,610 80% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.

Acupuncturists

SOC 29-1291

Anesthesiologists

SOC 29-1211

Athletic Trainers

SOC 29-9091

Audiologists

SOC 29-1181

Cardiologists

SOC 29-1212
Compare Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric make? ▼
The median annual salary for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric is $358,550 ($172.38/hour). The salary range spans from $84,170 at the 10th percentile to $659,290 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric the most? ▼
Missouri pays the highest median salary for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $842,800/year, which is +135% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric is Doctoral or professional degree. On-the-job training: Internship/residency.
How dangerous is being a Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric? ▼
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1.5 per 100 workers.
Is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric a good career? ▼
Employment for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric is projected to grow 4.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 400 openings are projected each year.
How does Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pay vary by state? ▼
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Missouri at $842,800/year, while Arkansas pays the least at $262,470/year. BLS data covers 31 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric is Springfield, MO at $869,540/year. BLS reports wage data for 34 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $530,700/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Missouri leads at $842,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.