National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Pharmacists earn a national median of $132,750/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 124% more nationally. The gap is $165,050 per year — or $13,754 per month.
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Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$165,050
Surgeons earn 124% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,870,890.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Pharmacists
California+$189,680
New Jersey+$186,680
New York+$185,680
Connecticut+$179,680
Massachusetts+$179,680
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-135,680
West Virginia+$-139,680
Arkansas+$-143,680
Louisiana+$-145,680
Alabama+$-146,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Pharmacists is $132,750 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $165,050 per year or $13,754 per month.
The national median salary gap between Pharmacists and Surgeons is $165,050 per year. Surgeons earn 124% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,870,890.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Pharmacists the highest median salary at $148,320 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. Pharmacists 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, Pharmacists earn approximately $64 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.
