National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 273% more nationally. The gap is $217,920 per year — or $18,160 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$217,920
Surgeons earn 273% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,470,187.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Accountants
California+$239,680
New Jersey+$236,680
Alaska+$233,680
Hawaii+$233,680
Washington+$233,680
Best states for Accountants
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-189,680
West Virginia+$-193,680
Arkansas+$-195,680
Louisiana+$-197,680
Oklahoma+$-199,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $217,920 per year or $18,160 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Surgeons is $217,920 per year. Surgeons earn 273% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,470,187.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Surgeons both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Surgeons earn approximately $143 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
