National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 384% more nationally. The gap is $236,250 per year — or $19,688 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$236,250
Surgeons earn 384% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,677,963.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Plumbers
California+$259,680
Maryland+$250,680
Virginia+$249,680
New Jersey+$248,680
Connecticut+$247,680
Best states for Plumbers
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-203,680
West Virginia+$-205,680
North Dakota+$-207,680
Louisiana+$-209,680
Arkansas+$-211,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $236,250 per year or $19,688 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Surgeons is $236,250 per year. Surgeons earn 384% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,677,963.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
