General Surgeon Salary Calculator

Use the links below to jump to any section of the General Surgeon Salary Calculator page. Each section addresses a specific question about general surgeon compensation, job markets, and the factors that shape earnings.

1. What Are the Salary Ranges for a General Surgeon?
2. What Is the Entry Level Salary for a General Surgeon?
3. How Much Does a General Surgeon Earn at Entry Level vs Senior Level?
4. Where Are the Best Job Markets for General Surgeons?
5. Which Employers Hire General Surgeons and What Do They Pay?
6. What Does a General Surgeon Do That Affects Salary?
7. What Factors Push a General Surgeon's Salary Higher?
8. What Factors Reduce a General Surgeon's Salary?
9. What Benefits Do General Surgeons Typically Receive?
10. What Skills Influence a General Surgeon's Salary?
11. How Does General Surgeon Salary Vary by Different States and Cities?

The General Surgeon Salary Calculator uses a national median hourly base pay of $125.00 as its starting reference point. Under a standard full-time assumption of 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year, this translates to approximately $260,000 annually at the median. However, actual general surgeon compensation spans a wide range depending on the inputs you select.

On the low end — reflecting early-career surgeons with limited experience in smaller job markets — the calculator may produce hourly estimates in the range of $95.00 to $110.00, yielding annual figures between roughly $197,600 and $228,800. On the high end — representing senior surgeons with decades of experience, fellowship subspecialty overlap, and positions in large metropolitan areas — hourly estimates can reach $165.00 to $190.00+, translating to annual earnings of $343,200 to $395,200 or more.

These figures represent gross compensation. The calculator's after-tax module further refines your estimate. A general surgeon earning $350,000 in California will retain significantly less after federal and state taxes than one earning the same gross amount in Texas, which has no state income tax. Selecting W-2 versus 1099 classification also meaningfully changes the result because independent contractors bear both halves of FICA taxes.

Users who work more than 40 hours per week — common among surgeons who routinely log 50 to 60 hours — can adjust hours in the calculator to see higher weekly, monthly, and annual estimates that scale directly from the hourly rate.

Entry level for a general surgeon means a physician who has completed medical school, a five-year general surgery residency, and has recently become board-eligible or board-certified but has limited independent practice experience — typically zero to two years post-residency. In the salary calculator, this is modeled by selecting the lowest experience tier and a standard education level (MD or DO without additional fellowship credentials).

With these inputs, the calculator estimates entry-level hourly pay in the range of $95.00 to $115.00. At 40 hours per week over 52 weeks, that corresponds to an annual salary range of approximately $197,600 to $239,200. Surgeons entering practice in small or rural markets may fall toward the lower end of this range, while those hired into large metropolitan hospital systems — where case volume and revenue generation are higher — often start closer to or above $115.00 per hour.

The salary calculator also allows you to see after-tax entry-level pay. A newly hired general surgeon earning $220,000 in a state like New Jersey will see a meaningfully different net income than one earning the same gross in Florida, due to differences in state income tax. Selecting your filing status and any 401(k) deferral further personalizes the result, making the calculator useful for evaluating specific job offers rather than just national averages.

The difference between entry-level and senior-level general surgeon compensation is substantial, and the salary calculator quantifies it clearly by letting you adjust years of experience and education level.

A senior general surgeon serving as chief of surgery at a large academic medical center or as a partner in a high-volume private practice often commands hourly rates 60–80% above entry-level peers. The calculator captures this gap through its experience and education sliders. Senior surgeons also tend to practice in larger metros where the market-size adjustment factor further elevates estimates.

After-tax differences amplify the gap in certain directions. Senior surgeons in high-tax states who maximize 401(k) contributions and are W-2 employees may see proportionally larger deductions, but their net income still substantially exceeds that of entry-level surgeons. The calculator lets you model both scenarios side by side by running separate estimates.

The strongest job markets for general surgeons combine high patient volume, multiple large hospital systems competing for talent, and population growth that sustains surgical caseloads. Large metropolitan areas with academic medical centers and Level I trauma programs consistently offer the highest compensation and the deepest talent demand.

The salary calculator applies a market-size adjustment factor that raises estimates for large metros and lowers them for small markets. When you select a large metro like Houston or Boston, the calculator reflects the premium these competitive markets command for surgical talent.

General surgeons are employed by hospital systems, academic medical centers, physician-owned surgical groups, Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, and multi-specialty clinic networks, each with distinct compensation structures.

Note that 1099 contract positions — such as locum tenens assignments through Envision or staffing agencies — often quote higher hourly rates but do not include employer-paid benefits, retirement matching, or malpractice coverage. The salary calculator's W-2 vs. 1099 toggle helps you see how self-employment taxes erode the apparent premium of contract work.

A general surgeon diagnoses and operatively treats diseases, injuries, and deformities involving the abdomen, breast, skin and soft tissue, endocrine system, and trauma. The scope and complexity of the procedures a surgeon performs directly influence compensation, because hospital systems and private groups tie pay to surgical volume and case complexity through relative value unit (RVU) productivity models.

Core responsibilities include performing appendectomies, cholecystectomies, hernia repairs, colectomies, thyroidectomies, and emergency exploratory laparotomies. Surgeons who take trauma call or who operate in acute care surgery models frequently earn higher rates because of the unpredictability, after-hours requirements, and higher acuity of cases. The salary calculator captures this indirectly through experience level and market size — large trauma centers in major cities generate higher caseloads and compensate accordingly.

Beyond the operating room, general surgeons manage pre-operative assessments, post-operative follow-up, endoscopic procedures (colonoscopies, upper endoscopies), and multidisciplinary tumor board participation in oncology cases. Administrative responsibilities such as serving as department chief or quality officer carry stipends that effectively raise the hourly rate the calculator models at senior experience levels.

Surgeons who also perform minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures (using platforms like the da Vinci Surgical System) tend to attract higher reimbursement per case, which translates into higher productivity bonuses and, by extension, higher effective hourly pay.

Several concrete, measurable factors elevate general surgeon pay, and the salary calculator models the most significant of them through its input controls.

Years of experience have the single largest effect. Each additional year of independent practice correlates with increased operative speed, broader case mix capability, and stronger referral networks — all of which drive higher RVU production. The calculator's experience slider reflects this by raising the hourly estimate progressively.

Fellowship training or subspecialty overlap amplifies earning potential. A general surgeon with additional training in surgical oncology, minimally invasive surgery, or acute care surgery commands a premium because they handle higher-complexity, higher-reimbursement cases. Selecting a higher education or credential tier in the calculator captures this effect.

Large metropolitan job markets consistently pay more. Hospitals in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Boston compete aggressively for surgical coverage, and the calculator's market-size adjustment reflects the resulting salary inflation.

Call coverage stipends add meaningful compensation. Surgeons who take trauma call at Level I or Level II centers may receive $1,500 to $3,000+ per 24-hour call shift on top of base salary, which effectively increases hourly earnings when modeled in the calculator by adjusting total hours and total compensation.

Partnership or ownership in a surgical group can push compensation well above employed-surgeon benchmarks, as partners share in facility fees and ancillary revenue that employed surgeons do not access.

Not all practice settings and circumstances produce top-tier compensation, and the salary calculator reflects several downward pressures.

Small or rural job markets typically pay less in gross terms, though the gap sometimes narrows when cost of living is considered. The calculator's market-size selector applies a downward adjustment for small-market positions. Critical access hospitals in rural Indiana or parts of North Carolina may offer salaries 15–25% below large-metro benchmarks for equivalent experience levels.

Limited experience is the most straightforward reducer. A surgeon fresh out of residency has not yet built the case volume, efficiency, or reputation that drive productivity-based compensation upward.

Academic positions at university medical centers often pay less than private practice or large health-system employment. Academic surgeons trade some compensation for research time, teaching responsibilities, and institutional prestige. The calculator's hourly base may need to be interpreted on the lower end for users evaluating academic offers.

Part-time schedules reduce weekly, monthly, and annual totals proportionally. A surgeon choosing a 0.8 FTE schedule (approximately 32 hours per week) will see annual estimates drop roughly 20% from the full-time figure.

1099 classification without benefits can appear to offer higher hourly pay but results in lower effective after-tax income once self-employment taxes, self-funded malpractice insurance, and lack of employer retirement matching are factored in. The calculator's W-2 vs. 1099 toggle quantifies part of this difference.

Benefits represent a significant share of total compensation for general surgeons, and the distinction between W-2 employment and 1099 independent contracting determines which benefits apply.

W-2 employed surgeons at hospital systems like HCA Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, or Cleveland Clinic typically receive employer-sponsored health insurance (medical, dental, vision), malpractice insurance with tail coverage, 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plans with employer matching (commonly 3–6% of salary), paid time off (typically four to six weeks annually), CME (continuing medical education) allowances of $3,000 to $5,000 per year, relocation stipends, and signing bonuses that range from $20,000 to $75,000 for competitive markets. Some employers also offer student loan repayment assistance, given that general surgeons often carry $200,000 to $300,000+ in medical school debt.

1099 independent contractors and locum tenens surgeons receive none of these benefits from the hiring facility. They must purchase their own health insurance, fund their own retirement accounts (SEP-IRA or solo 401(k)), and often arrange their own malpractice coverage. The salary calculator's after-tax module helps illustrate this gap: selecting 1099 classification increases the FICA tax burden (the surgeon pays both the employer and employee share), which visibly reduces after-tax income compared to W-2 at the same gross hourly rate.

Understanding benefits is critical when comparing two offers that appear similar on an hourly or annual gross basis. An offer at $130/hour as a W-2 with full benefits may be more valuable than $150/hour on a 1099 contract, and running both scenarios through the calculator clarifies this.

Specific clinical and technical skills directly translate into higher productivity and, consequently, higher pay. The salary calculator models this indirectly through the experience and education inputs, but understanding which skills matter helps users position themselves accurately on the salary spectrum.

Laparoscopic and robotic surgery proficiency is now a baseline expectation, but advanced mastery — particularly with the da Vinci Xi system for complex foregut, colorectal, or hernia operations — commands a premium. Hospitals invest heavily in robotic platforms and preferentially hire or retain surgeons who maximize utilization.

Trauma and acute care surgery capability is essential for positions at Level I and Level II trauma centers. Surgeons credentialed in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and comfortable managing polytrauma, emergency laparotomies, and damage-control surgery earn higher call stipends and base salaries.

Endoscopic skills — including colonoscopy, EGD, and ERCP — expand a surgeon's billable procedure mix and increase RVU production, which feeds directly into productivity-based compensation formulas.

Leadership and administrative skills such as quality improvement, peer review, and surgical department management qualify surgeons for medical director and chief-of-surgery roles that carry administrative stipends of $25,000 to $100,000+ annually, effectively raising the hourly rate reflected in the calculator.

Board certification by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) is a near-universal requirement for hospital credentialing and a prerequisite for accessing the highest pay tiers. Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) designation further signals expertise and is valued by top-tier employers.

Location is one of the most powerful variables in the General Surgeon Salary Calculator. Differences in state income tax, cost of living, patient demand, hospital density, and local payer mix create wide geographic variation in both gross and after-tax earnings. Below, each required state and city is addressed individually.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in New York?

New York is one of the highest-paying states for general surgeons in gross terms, driven by the concentration of major academic medical centers (NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian) and high patient volume. However, New York also imposes substantial state and city income taxes. The salary calculator's after-tax module reflects this: a surgeon earning $350,000 in New York will see a markedly lower net income than the same gross in a no-income-tax state. Selecting New York as your state in the calculator applies the appropriate state tax rate to your estimate.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in California?

California offers strong compensation due to the size of its healthcare market and high cost of living. Systems like Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai, and UC Health compete aggressively for surgical talent. California's progressive state income tax is among the nation's highest, which the calculator factors into after-tax estimates. Surgeons practicing in the state should use the calculator to compare offers across different California metros, as pay in San Francisco differs meaningfully from pay in the Central Valley.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Florida?

Florida has no state income tax, making it one of the most attractive states for after-tax surgical income. Growing population centers like Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando create sustained demand. While gross salaries may be slightly lower than the highest-paying Northeastern markets, the absence of state tax — reflected in the calculator's after-tax module — often results in competitive or superior take-home pay.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Texas?

Texas combines a large, growing population with no state income tax, making it a premier destination for general surgeons seeking high net income. Houston and Dallas anchor the state's medical infrastructure, with the Texas Medical Center (the world's largest) driving exceptional case volume in the Houston metro. The salary calculator produces notably higher after-tax figures for Texas-based surgeons compared to peers earning similar gross amounts in high-tax states.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Michigan?

Michigan has a moderate state income tax and a healthcare landscape anchored by major systems like Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health, and Michigan Medicine. Detroit and Grand Rapids offer the largest surgical markets. Gross pay falls slightly below the top coastal markets, but the lower cost of living means purchasing power is competitive. The calculator's market-size adjustment accounts for whether a surgeon practices in metro Detroit (large) versus a smaller market like Traverse City.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Georgia?

Georgia's surgical job market is heavily concentrated in metro Atlanta, home to Emory Healthcare, Piedmont Healthcare, and Grady Memorial Hospital (a major Level I trauma center). Atlanta's large-metro status triggers the calculator's upward market-size adjustment. Outside Atlanta, rural Georgia practices may offer lower gross pay but sometimes include loan repayment and signing bonuses to attract surgeons to underserved areas. Georgia's state income tax is moderate.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Ohio?

Ohio benefits from a dense concentration of respected health systems — Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, University Hospitals, and OhioHealth — that employ large surgical staffs. Cleveland and Columbus are the primary large markets. Ohio's state income tax is modest, and cost of living is well below the national average, which makes after-tax calculator results particularly favorable relative to gross pay.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in North Carolina?

North Carolina's healthcare sector is growing rapidly, with Duke Health, Atrium Health, Wake Forest Baptist, and UNC Health anchoring surgical hiring. Charlotte and the Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) are mid-sized to large metros where the calculator applies a positive market-size adjustment. North Carolina imposes a flat state income tax that is lower than many Northeastern states, producing competitive after-tax outcomes.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Illinois?

Illinois is dominated by the Chicago metropolitan area, which houses Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medicine, and Advocate Aurora Health. Chicago's large-metro status commands strong gross pay. Illinois has a flat state income tax, and the calculator applies it to after-tax estimates. Surgeons should note that downstate Illinois markets (Springfield, Peoria) are mid-sized and produce lower salary estimates in the calculator.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Maryland?

Maryland's proximity to Washington, DC, and the presence of Johns Hopkins Health System, University of Maryland Medical Center, and MedStar Health create a strong demand environment. Maryland has a relatively high state income tax with county surcharges, which the calculator captures in after-tax estimates. Surgeons evaluating Maryland positions should compare after-tax results against neighboring Virginia or the District of Columbia for a complete picture.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Indiana?

Indiana offers a low cost of living and a flat state income tax that is among the lowest in the Midwest. IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, and Community Health Network are the primary employers in the Indianapolis metro. Gross pay tends to fall slightly below national median benchmarks, but the calculator's after-tax module often shows that Indiana surgeons retain a competitive share of their earnings relative to peers in higher-cost states.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Virginia?

Virginia's surgical market is split between Northern Virginia (essentially part of the Washington, DC metro), the Hampton Roads area, and the Richmond corridor. Inova Health System, Sentara Healthcare, and VCU Health are major employers. Virginia's state income tax is moderate. Surgeons in Northern Virginia benefit from the large-metro adjustment in the calculator and proximity to DC-area facilities.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Connecticut?

Connecticut has a high cost of living and a progressive state income tax that rivals New York's at higher income levels. Yale New Haven Health is the dominant employer. Gross pay is above average due to regional cost pressures, but the calculator's after-tax module shows that Connecticut's tax burden erodes a meaningful portion of earnings. Surgeons comparing Connecticut to nearby Massachusetts or New York should run all three scenarios.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in New Jersey?

New Jersey offers strong gross compensation, driven by a dense population, proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, and employers like RWJBarnabas Health, Hackensack Meridian Health, and Atlantic Health System. New Jersey's state income tax is among the highest nationally at surgeon income levels. The salary calculator reflects this, and surgeons should use the after-tax output to understand the true take-home difference between a New Jersey hospital offer and one across the border in Pennsylvania (which has a lower flat tax).

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Chicago?

Chicago is one of the top surgical job markets in the country. The sheer number of hospitals — Northwestern Memorial, Rush, University of Chicago, Loyola, Advocate Christ — creates competition for qualified general surgeons. The salary calculator applies a large-metro adjustment for Chicago, and hourly estimates typically range from $130.00 to $178.00. Illinois state income tax applies uniformly, and the after-tax module incorporates it.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles is the second-largest metro in the United States and offers robust surgical demand across Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, Keck Medicine of USC, and numerous community hospitals. Hourly rates of $135.00 to $185.00 are typical. California's high state income tax substantially reduces take-home pay, and the salary calculator's after-tax module quantifies this. Surgeons should also consider that Los Angeles cost of living is among the nation's highest.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in New York City (NYC)?

NYC is the single highest-paying metro for general surgeons by gross compensation, with hourly rates reaching $140.00 to $195.00 at top institutions. However, NYC imposes both New York State income tax and New York City local income tax, creating one of the heaviest combined tax burdens in the country. The calculator's after-tax results for NYC are essential reading for any surgeon weighing a Manhattan or Brooklyn-based offer against opportunities in lower-tax metros.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Houston?

Houston's Texas Medical Center is the world's largest medical complex, employing thousands of surgeons across Methodist Hospital, Memorial Hermann, Baylor St. Luke's, and MD Anderson. General surgeons in Houston benefit from high case volume, large-metro salary adjustments, and Texas's absence of state income tax. The salary calculator produces some of the most favorable after-tax results nationally for Houston-based surgeons.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Phoenix?

Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing large metros in the United States. Banner Health, Dignity Health (now CommonSpirit), HonorHealth, and Mayo Clinic Arizona are significant employers. Gross pay tends to be slightly below top-tier coastal cities, with hourly rates of $120.00 to $168.00. Arizona's state income tax is low and has been reduced further in recent years, making after-tax results in the calculator competitive with larger but higher-tax markets.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Atlanta?

Atlanta is the healthcare hub of the Southeast, anchored by Emory Healthcare, Piedmont Healthcare, Northside Hospital, and Grady Memorial Hospital. The large-metro adjustment in the salary calculator elevates Atlanta estimates above most other Georgia markets. Georgia's moderate state income tax keeps after-tax results solid. Trauma surgery demand at Grady — one of the busiest Level I trauma centers in the nation — creates consistent high-volume positions.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in San Diego?

San Diego offers a desirable quality of life that attracts surgical candidates, which can moderate the salary premium employers need to offer. Scripps Health, Sharp HealthCare, and UC San Diego Health are the main employers. Hourly rates range from $132.00 to $180.00. California's state income tax applies fully, and the calculator reflects this in after-tax estimates. San Diego's cost of living is lower than San Francisco or Los Angeles, offering a somewhat better net-income-to-expenses ratio.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Washington, DC?

Washington, DC, and its immediate suburbs across Maryland and Virginia form a major surgical market. MedStar Health, George Washington University Hospital, and Inova Fairfax are prominent employers. DC imposes its own income tax separate from Maryland and Virginia, and the salary calculator lets you select DC specifically to see how its tax structure affects after-tax pay. Gross hourly rates of $135.00 to $185.00 are typical for the metro area.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Boston?

Boston is one of the most competitive surgical job markets in the world, with Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess, and Tufts Medical Center all recruiting general surgeons. Gross hourly rates of $138.00 to $190.00 reflect Boston's academic prestige and high patient acuity. Massachusetts has a flat state income tax, and the calculator applies it to after-tax estimates. Cost of living in Boston is high, which should be weighed against the strong gross compensation.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Dallas?

Dallas offers a compelling combination of strong hospital systems — Baylor Scott & White, UT Southwestern, Texas Health Resources, Medical City Healthcare — and no state income tax. Hourly rates typically range from $128.00 to $175.00. The salary calculator's after-tax output for Dallas consistently shows favorable results because the entire state income tax line is zeroed out. Dallas's cost of living is also below that of New York, Los Angeles, or Boston, amplifying the purchasing power of after-tax earnings.

What Does a General Surgeon Earn in Seattle?

Seattle's surgical market is led by UW Medicine, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Swedish Medical Center, and Providence. Washington State has no state income tax, which makes after-tax calculator results particularly strong despite the high cost of living. Hourly rates of $135.00 to $182.00 reflect the large-metro adjustment and the competitive hiring environment created by multiple major systems vying for surgical coverage in the Pacific Northwest.